Enchanted Orbs
by syrinxsong
Summary: KagSess. Kagome is strong and a human female. Who could better serve as a spy for the Western Lord? But soon she gets swept into an impending war between the cardinal lands.
1. Default Chapter

Authors Notes:

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in the following story. Kinda disappointed, though, because playing dress up with Sess would be soo much fun!!

Never done this before, hope I'm not wasting your time, hope its not a disappointment!

"…" - words spoken aloud

'…' – thoughts

IIIIIIIIIII - a change of perspective or different setting

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter One: Awakening Powers

They were fighting again; Kagome was getting really sick of the insignificant and petty arguments. It seemed like all they ever did was pick at each other.

"Would you just leave me alone, I'm sorry I got in your way, ok! Are you happy? You killed it anyways, it's not like the thing got away?" Kagome huffed as she tried to walk away from the irritated hanyou.

Miroku and Sango shared an exasperated glance and started setting up camp for the night, and it looked like it was going to be a long one.

"Leave you alone? Its your fault the thing got a chance to attack us in the first place!! If you had listened to me and stopped nagging me, wench, it wouldn't have heard us in the first place. I coulda snuck up on it, killed it, and that would have been the end of it, but nooo. You had to alert it, then miss when you wanted to prove you could do it yourself without my help. Well, big shot…I had to chase that stupid thing half way across Japan because you decided you wanted to try things your way!! Feh, what good are you

anyways? I'm amazed I still let you follow me around." Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest and raised his nose at an arrogant level, daring Kagome to argue with him.

"What?! Follow you around!!" Kagome rounded on him.

Inuyasha took an involuntary step back at the temper that flared in the girl as she continued. "If it weren't for you and your stupid quest…" She took several threatening steps towards him.

The hanyou caught himself before he took another step backwards. His eyes hardened as he interrupted Kagome. "Shut it wench, just be glad you're the only one who can see those shards." Inuyasha yelled to overcome her own shouts.

"Yeah, well, why don't you just go find Kikyou and have her help out, I'm sure she would just love to…" Kagome retorted as steam started to rise from her rage-flushed face.

"You leave Kikyo out of this…she's twice the woman you'll ever be, you're just mad because you're nothing but a reincarnate. Just a second copy." He echoed the words he had heard spoken by the undead priestess several times before, ignorant of the effect it would have on his companion.

"SIT!!! I have heard enough from you!" Kagome's voice was steady, but a pained whisper echoed through her voice. She turned around to face the others. A smile formed on her face, but the deception was proven through her eyes. "Sango, Miroku, I'm going to go bathe and cool off a bit. I'll be back in a little while." Kagome went from bitterly angry to sweet and cheerful, and Miroku and Sango hesitated before attempting to reply.

"Take your time Kagome, I'll take care of Shippo" Sango said, ever supportive of her friend.

"Do you need help Kagome? I can get your back for you." Miroku offered with feigned innocence before wincing at the glare Sango sent him.

WHAM!

Miroku hit the ground as the subduing spell started to wear off Inuyasha. Kagome took a brief glance around the camp. She sent a smile to Shippo then turned to disappear around some trees on the way to her chosen bathing spot.

Shippo waited until Kagome was out of hearing range before attacking Inuyasha's ears. "Why do you have to be to so mean, you big jerk!!," but all he got as a reply was a "Feh!" and a sulking hanyou by the fireside.

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Kagome's rage dwindled and disappeared as she walked toward the spring. 'Just a second copy, is that all I am in comparison?' With her anger gone, all the cruel things Inuyasha had said over the past couple of days ganged up on her. Tears start to form. "NO!! I will not cry. That will just prove him right in his eyes!" 'But I am just a shadow compared to Kikyo, I'll never be out of her shadow, at least as far as he's concerned.' Kagome's eyes became dull as her sadness overwhelmed her.

As she came upon the spring, Kagome saw a woman kneeling at the waters edge. She was dressed in a thin white robe which clung to her figure, flattering yet conservative. Her hair reached to her lower back, its platinum color gave her an ethereal appearance. A silver chain braided into designs that reflect the moon's shimmering light twisted in and out of her hair in various places creating their own design. Kagome was about to turn and leave to prevent interrupting the elder woman, when she called out to Kagome.

"Why is you heart filled with sadness little one? I have never seen one so pure and powerful that doesn't have joy overflowing within their soul." The woman's voice tingled across Kagome's senses, soothing her.

The woman remained facing the pool, her eyes never straying to the young miko.

Kagome's mind reeled at her questions. "How did you…"

"It is not important. What is important is your spirit. You are so full of life, so pure hearted. You have a grave task ahead of you. How do you expect to be able to purify when the emotions within you are unsettled? The jewel can see into the depths of your soul; if you are not at peace with yourself, the wish will become twisted and all is in vain." The woman slowly turned to face Kagome. Her eyes were the colors of the bluest sea; her face is was pale as a glacier. All about her spoke of a gentle yet great power.

As Kagome found her voice she managed to question the female. "Who are you and why are you…?"

"Again it is not important; just know that I am a friend. I have come to teach you, to help you. Come, kneel next to me, child. I have a gift for you, one that only someone such as you could maintain." Her voice was gentle but there was no arguing with her tone.

Kagome did as she was told. The woman took her hand and a brilliant gold light began to shine. Kagome tried to see where the light originated from, but her attempt was in vain. The light radiated from everywhere. The water, the woman, the surrounding trees, and even Kagome were all engulfed in the radiant beams of light.

"What's happening?" Kagome spluttered, thoroughly confused and disoriented.

"I'm awakening your powers, most need years of experience to train abilities such as yours. I am speeding up the process a bit." A small smile appeared on her face, as if she shared a secret with the world.

The light receded, and only Kagome was left glowing. The nameless woman looked at Kagome to stress her lesson. "You no longer require spells or chants, just think about what you wish to happen, and it will. You have few boundaries to what you can do as long as you keep your inner strength, little one." Her tone was fond and motherly.

Kagome's head felt a little fuzzy, but she was warm all over and serenity filled her being completely.

"You must listen to me child," the woman continues, "the confusion of your worth which was present as you arrived is not an option. You cannot hope to defeat evil when doubt exists within you." Kagome nodded to show she was paying attention. "This will hurt beyond belief, but he does not deserve your love." Kagome tensed as she realizes who the woman is talking about.

"But I love him, I can't help it. This is not something I can control" Kagome objected fiercely.

"I know you feel that way, child, but you can never step out of that shadow when you are with him. He will always see the other woman. My words are not meant to be cruel. The danger present with such a fluctuation of your emotions is monumental. You will be challenged by immeasurable evil, and such uncertainty will mean your death along with countless others. There exists such evil in these lands that any doubt will be turned against you and your companions with dreadful results. The triangle that has been established between your incarnation, yourself, and the inuhanyou must be broken."

"You still speak as if a can just take my love away from him, that's not within my power." Kagome protested as she tried to digest all the information she had been flooded with.

"Do not forget, you were told that little is beyond your abilities. Imagine your love fading into a friendship, a close bond shared between family. Shift your emotions until you feel for him what you feel for the monk. It is a simple task, child, and it must be done."

Kagome broke down into tears, her chest started to heave and she cried out, "I can't do that; I would rather be in pain but be in love than to feel no love at all!"

The woman raised Kagome's chin with her hand and their gazes locked.

"Kagome, child, you are loved, and you will be loved by more. It is not yet time for you to know what is fated for you, but you will find happiness and completion. The love to be bestowed upon you will not be able to be twisted, and evil will lose. Until that time, you must trust me and do as I say. Until you find your inner peace and strength, the control you have on your abilities is not complete. In order to create serenity, you must create a happiness within you. I can start you on that path, but from there it is your own spirit's journey to find fullness." The woman pleaded with the priestess to understand without full knowledge.

As she said this, the tears that were flowing down Kagome's face began to glow. They were lifted off her face and began swirling around her. The orbs multiplied and shifted until Kagome was surrounded by dancing lights that illuminated the clearing. Kagome laughed in wonderment as the lights caressed her face and hair, whirling in patterns around her.

The woman spoke to her, "Little one, this is your power, take control of it. Let your spirit fly with the glow globes." A warm smile lit her face.

Kagome nodded and began to concentrate on the flickering lights surrounding her. She laughed as the orbs stopped their movement; the hundreds of lights were drawn to her and converged into five golf ball sized lights. All was still for a moment until Kagome released them. The five shot out across the land in five different directions, curved upwards to the sky, then came together above her head. She gasped in amazement when they exploded as a fireworks display. Shimmering lights cascaded to the spring as Kagome's light show ended. Joy filled her at her own accomplishment, and she was content. Kagome turned to thank the woman only to find her gone.

"Oh well, guess I better bathe before the others get worried." Kagome spoke softly, a smile lightly her face.

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A short distance away, a little girl watched as the sky was lit by an explosion. Her eyes widened at the glittering particles as they slowly fell back to the earth.

"Sesshomaru-sama, what were those pretty lights? Can Rin go see?" Sesshomaru, curious himself as to what was the cause of the power surge that accompanied those lights, nodded his head slightly.

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I reconfigured this chapter, made some grammatical corrections, and touched up the dialogue a bit. No big changes, so no worries.

Syrinx


	2. How to hide magic

Hidy! Ok, even though most will prolly just skip through the author's notes (I know I do sometimes), but I had to say thanks! Everyone has been really receptive to this idea! I'm so proud. I intend to update more quickly, but I had a 12pg ethics paper to write, so that why there's been a fairly big delay. I also had to think up a plot . . . gasp! Hey, I wasn't gonna rack my brain for something half-way original if there was a chance that ya'll (yes I'm from Texas, deal with the accent) were gonna say it wasn't worth my effort to continue. So here goes!

Any Scene changes are depicted like: IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"spoken words"

'thoughts'

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters in this story; I just enjoy messing with them in really twisted ways! evil grin

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 2 How to hide magic

Kagome awoke the next morning with the sun streaming into her eyes. The leaves above her rustled as the wind sent a refreshing breeze across her face. A beautiful feeling was in her heart as she came into consciousness. She couldn't really describe it but she knew it was going to be a good day. The sun had just risen above the horizon, and everyone was preparing for the coming day.

Miroku and Sango were ready to go as Kagome began readying her pack.

"Why do you always have to be the last one ready to go? What, do you intentionally try to slow us down?" Inuyasha bit out.

Kagome dropped her head; as Inuyasha began to wonder if what he said was harsher than usual, he saw Kagome smirk. Kagome, her hair still hiding her eyes, calmly said, "Sit boy," and began to walk toward Sango and Miroku with her pack slug over her shoulder.

"What was that for!" He yelled as he pulled himself off the ground.

Kagome casually turned and, with a brilliant smile, replied. "It really is too beautiful of a morning to have it ruined by your mouth."

Shippo burst out laughing as Sango and Miroku tried to fight back a grin at the hanyou's expense. The group began their travels into the mountains. They knew it would be a long trip, but Naraku had become harder and harder to find, and the jewel shards were traveling away from our favorite hunters.

Kagome smiled as she realized how in tune she was with her power. She could always feel something below the surface, but it was never something she could intentionally reach. The writhing mass of energy would just come when she desperately needed it. When all else failed and everyone was in danger, the power was just there, waiting for her.

But now, she could feel it and consciously move it, and Kagome could also sense the shards in a much wider radius and could also tell what powers the shard had bestowed on its owners. It was almost as if she could communicate with the shards, or read the energy they emitted. 'This is going to be great! I'll actually be able to help my friends instead of just sitting on the sidelines shooting arrows!'

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Sesshoumaru and his faithful followers reached the spring Kagome occupied the previous night. It was late in the afternoon as the taiyoukai started investigating the area. He knew this was the place that the light display originated from because of the electric smell of magic that haunted the spring. The distinct scent, which was strongly like the smell in the air before a powerful thunderstorm, overwhelmed his senses.

'The smell of magic is too strong; it is overpowering any hint of the scent of the creature responsible for the power surge and light show last night. One thing is definite; whatever is the cause of this is very strong. Of course they are not a threat to me or my lands, but perhaps this situation needs to be investigated.'

As his thoughts came to a conclusion, he looked over at Rin. She was practically begging him for an explanation with big, pouty eyes. 'Kami, I hate it when she uses that face.' He thought, disgusted at even that minute amount of control that she can exert on him.

"The lights seen last night are the product of a powerful sorcerer. Although he is no rival to my abilities, I have never seen nor heard anything about the recent rise of a new magical being. I wish to know how this creature has escaped my knowledge. Jaken, set up camp for the evening, I need to investigate more. Rin stay with Ah-Un." With that Sesshoumaru turned and began a more thorough investigation.

He stepped out of the clearing occupied last night by Kagome. Once he broke the tree line of the spring, when the scent of magic wasn't as devastating, he had to suppress a growl. 'My idiot half brother stayed near here last night. I wonder if he was intelligent enough to realize he was in danger. No, most likely not. I wonder, maybe one of his companions were responsible for . . . no, I have met them in battle. Not one of those is strong enough to cause this kind of disturbance.' With that he realized he would not find more information about the previous evening and returned to his company.

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After a tiring day of hiking, Inuyasha and the gang set up camp at sundown. Kagome retired to her own thoughts. 'Today was uneventful, no shards and only one encounter with an unfriendly group of bandits. Maybe I should be doing something productive; let's see, I need to make dinner.

After everyone was fed Kagome and Sango went to bathe in a nearby stream. "No hotsprings tonight, oh well, I guess the stream will have to do. Hey, Kagome I meant to ask you today, but it slipped my mind. The guys and I saw something really strange last night. Did you notice anything out of the ordinary?" Sango asked as they undressed and walked out into the water.

The question caught Kagome by surprise, and she was not sure how to answer. Should she tell the gang now or wait until her skills were at top form and shock them? 'Hmm, that could be fun, I'll show them when I'm good with my new powers.' Hiding a smirk, Kagome replied, "No Sango, I really didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, but then again I had my eyes closed most of the time. I was pretty tired; in fact, I almost fell asleep against the rocks. What did you see?"

"Oh I guess it was nothing, just some lights in the sky. White lights were raining down over the horizon not far from where we were camped." Sango had a troubled look on her face as she explained. Kagome assumed she was trying to figure out what caused the scene she was describing.

"How strange, maybe it will happen again tonight. I would love to see that." With that both girls became silent with their own thoughts. 'Ok there is definitely a problem, how am I going to hone my skills if everyone can see them. This is bad. Maybe I need to talk to Miroku about the various types of barriers; I believe he talked once about an invisibility shield. What about an illusion spell? I know they exist, but could it solve my problem? If done correctly I'm sure one or the other could help me. Ok, that's settled; tomorrow Miroku will teach my how to cast either an illusion spell or an invisibility barrier.'

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Sesshoumaru waited all during the evening for the slightest smell of magic. He was determined to find out what was the cause of the events of the previous evening. 'I will find him. Either I shall deem him worthy of being under my service or he shall perish. A sorcerer as powerful as he could be a dangerous weapon, I will not allow such power to roam free. It may be used against me someday if my enemies harness this man.'

But Sesshoumaru waited in vain because no such magic surfaced that night.

Sorry, this chapter was pretty boring, but I had to set things up. I'm afraid I'm moving through the story too quickly. Oh well, I guess this means I just have to think up some wicked twists to incorporate. Hee hee hee, this could be fun. Hope you liked it and I promise the next chapter will be more exciting.


	3. Deceptions for a Demon Lord

Hey, guys. I'm really sorry that last chapter was boring, but this one will be better, I promise! And, if my notes are right, pretty long, too! See aren't we happy? Ok, on with the show.

Disclaimer: I do not own in any form or fashion any of the characters in this story. Even the ones that do not appear in the manga or anime (the ones I made up), yeah, well those characters belong to my subconscious id. I just do what the id tells me too, and I get to sleep at night (although not usually peacefully).

Any Scene changes are depicted like: IIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"spoken words"

'thoughts'

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 3 Deceptions for the Demon Lord

"Miroku, I did it!" Kagome squealed as the leaf she held in her hand disappeared.

The mysterious woman had told her almost anything was in her power to do now, but Kagome was never the most confident person in the world. With her new found connection to her power, the spell was quickly learned and mastered. Much more quickly than Miroku would have ever imagined.

"Very good, Lady Kagome, you've done well to learn that spell so quickly." A slight pause reigned, and then, "May I ask as to why you want to learn such techniques when you have never shown an interest before?"

Kagome paled slightly; she didn't want to give up her secret yet, but she didn't want to lie to a good friend, either. "Well, Miroku, I just thought that I might be able to help you guys out a bit more if I could hide things. Think about it, if the jewel gets ripped off my neck, or if Naraku steals it then gets a tentacle cut off and the jewel falls to the ground. I might be able to cause enough confusion with such a spell that Inuyasha could defeat Naraku." 'Wow,' Kagome was a little scared that she had learned to hide the truth so well; it wasn't a complete lie because the situation was very plausible. But it wasn't the reason she wished to learn those spells. 'Oh well, what's done is done.'

"That makes much sense; I had never thought of such a ruse, but if this comes to pass you can be ready now." Miroku gave her a soft smile, proud of his friend for her accomplishment.

"Heh heh, thanks, Miroku." Kagome said, a bit embarrassed by his attention, and she continued walking with in the middle of the group as Miroku quickened his pace to catch up with Inuyasha.

'That was kinda funny.' Kagome thought, now alone with her opinions. 'The instant Miroku began to teach me that spell, I remembered what that mysterious woman told me. I don't have to use chants or spells anymore, but I couldn't just ask him to teach me and then say 'oh, nevermind, I can do that without a chant, I forgot.' Yeah , I can just see the look of confusion that would cause. I'm a pretty good actress if he believed how happy I was about covering up a leaf. Maybe I should consider a career in movies when I get back to the modern . . .'

Then she felt it, a very powerful aura hovering around the travelers. There were no shards in the vicinity; she could feel the pull of the jewel trying to reassemble itself in the back of her mind. But all the shards were a good distance away. 'It can't be Naraku, even his puppets usually have a shard embedded in them. Who could it be, then? The aura doesn't intend harm, I can feel that much, but why is it just watching . . . oh, it gives me the creeps!'

Kagome decided not to mention the presence felt because no one else appeared to notice, and why should she alert the group if whatever it was wasn't going to harm them? The group continued walking. About an hour or so later, she felt a few minor demons approaching fast. She set her pack down and readied her arrows. Sango shot her a questioning look until Kirara transformed and Inuyasha spoke up.

"Get ready, we are about to have company." He said as he drew the Tetsusaiga. Miroku crouched holding his staff, and Sango readied her Hiraikotsu.

A huge bear youkai stormed through the trees. As he came upon the group, the youkai looked straight at Kagome and began to run at her. Inuyasha jumped between them before the bear could get within striking range of the girl. As Inuyasha sliced at the demon with his sword, another youkai, this one a reptile of some sorts entered the scene.

It appeared to be a cross between a snake and a raptor, with a long body on which it slithered but a massive raptor-like head and sharp talons on small arms near the head.

Sango hurled her weapon at the beast as Miroku swiftly leapt out of the way of the youkai's tail. As the reptilian demon swiped with its tail, its head became closer to striking range of Kagome.

The beast dodged the Hiraikotsu and lunged at Kagome, but she was waiting. Her arrow poised and ready, she let it fly. Purifying pink light surrounded the arrow as it hit its mark. The youkai had begun to disintegrate as Inuyasha rejoined the group. The bear youkai proved less than a match for him, but he was wounded. A gash on his shoulder served to remind him that a dying youkai can be more dangerous than a healthy one.

"Inuyasha, you're hurt! Here let me bandage your wound." Kagome replied as she ran to her pack to get her first aid kit.

All she got in response was a "Feh!" as Inuyasha jumped into a tree for the night.

"Well, I guess that means he can heal himself. Should we set up camp, Sango?" Kagome said trying not to be offended by Inuyasha's stand-offish attitude.

"Yes, Kagome, that would be wise, but lets move back a bit towards the spring we crossed earlier. I really don't want to sleep with the smell of seared youkai a few feet from me. Plus, its usually not a good idea to stay so close to the body of a dead youkai; there are scavengers that will come and may give us trouble during the night." Sango spoke to her companions.

Kagome agreed. She, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara all headed back to the stream they had been following in their travels, which was only about a five minute walk backwards.

After dinner had been prepared and eaten, Kagome excused herself to go take a bath and to practice. The miko had asked Sango to join her, but she knew Sango didn't take nightly baths. For some reason, it wasn't considered healthy in this era to clean yourself so often.

Kagome just shook her head and headed to the waterfront.

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Sesshomaru was thoroughly disappointed in the sorcerer's lack of appearance the previous evening, but had not resolved to leave the area yet. His instinct told him that the magical being was still in the vicinity. He trusted his instinct; it had saved his life on several occasions as a child.

All he had to do was wait. Although he did not enjoy being patient, the demon lord was capable of extreme patience when his plans required that virtue. He was bored, though. He assumed the creature would display his powers again at night based on his first encounter with the lights; it was only the middle of the afternoon.

Sesshomaru took Rin to a meadow to let her play in the flowers for an hour or two. Watching her torture Jaken and dress up Ah-Un with flowers took away part of the day, but there were still a couple hours of daylight left. 'Perhaps I should see what my useless brother is up to.' With his superior senses, Sesshomaru knew exactly where Inuyasha was, but could stay out of his range of smell. The taiyoukai also had ways of suppressing his aura and scent. Because of this, he could observe the gang without notice.

He perched in a tree that they would pass directly under and waited. 'That pathetic hanyou, he did not even realize potential death was right above him. I could kill him here without notice. Such a shame to my heritage, but he is of some use to me at this time.'

He watched in amusement as the two demons attacked the companions. He smirked when he smelled the blood of his half-brother; then just as quietly as he appeared he left them to prepare for his encounter with the sorcerer. The thought never occurred to him that this being would not surface tonight. He had no doubts whatsoever that soon he would have a very powerful weapon at his disposal. Now he just had to decide what to do with the numerous opportunities such magic could open to him. Plans whirled through his mind. 'Yes, this will be very convenient.'

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"Ok, lets see. The first thing I need to do is hide my presence.' Kagome concentrated and all hints of her existence by the spring disappeared. The area around the spring appeared normal to anyone looking, but she could not been seen. Her magic could not be felt by any creatures near her, nor could the lighted orbs which accompanied her magic be seen by anyone but her.

Kagome practiced for about ten minutes; she tried to feel through her power to control it. She worked on the healing abilities that magic provided her. She also expanded her purifying energy and the control she possessed over it. She was beginning to feel a bit tired when she realized that someone was approaching.

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Sesshomaru was irked. He knew the creature would surface tonight. His instinct never lied to him, but why hadn't he felt a power surge. Nothing. Not even a hint of a magical aura called out to him. This was not what was supposed to happen.

He inhaled deeply to sigh. The spicy twang of magic hinted to his sensitive nose. 'Cunning sorcerer, I almost missed your presence.' But his sensitive nose was alerted to the ongoing activities. He was off; shooting across the distance that separated them.

When he arrived at the spring, he could see nothing. There was no magic to be seen from any corner of the clearing, but his nose never lied. 'Cunning sorcerer, indeed.'

Kagome tensed as she saw him enter her practice arena. 'What is Sesshomaru doing here? I . . . un . . . shoot! What do I do now? Ok, keep cool Kagome, he can't see you; he doesn't know you're here. Maybe he'll just go away. Stay absolutely still so he can't hear you and you'll be fine.' She tried to comfort and calm herself. Kagome froze statue still and waited for him to leave.

She waited. And waited. What seemed like an eternity, which was probably more like a minute in reality, passed. He stood just as still as she did. All of a sudden he looked straight at her. 'No, that's impossible; he can't know where I am. He can't . . .'

"If you think you can hide from me you are gravely mistaken. I can hear your heartbeat. I know exactly where you are." He stated as he stared directly at her.

Kagome's heart sank. 'I'm going to die. Dang it just when life was starting to let me show a little control. I was going to be strong for once, take care of myself and my friends instead of being taken care of . . .' but he continued on and cut her off.

"I can feel your power. You could be of great use to me. I offer you a choice. You can either join me and achieve greatness, or you can refuse my offer and death will follow your choice"

Silence. Kagome's heart raced. 'What do I do? I can't challenge him. Even if I was strong enough at this point in my training, I am still exhausted from practicing before he came.' She racked her brain to think of a response. She had to buy some time, but how?

"I assure you that joining is a chance most would jump at. As powerful as you are, you could easily ascend in my ranks to become one of my generals. You would stay at my fortress where any dish or drink would be served to you at any time. If you are a lusty man, you would have any and all types of women to share your bed. Great power and prestige will be bestowed on you if you are obedient to me."

'WHAT! Did he just say that I could have any WOMAN I want? He thinks I'm a MAN? Boy is his sense of smell off! Wait, I could use this . . . what to look like? Obviously not human, I could be a kitsune. They are known for their magic, so it would make sense to him. A male, kitsune is what I'll be. I don't want him to feel as if I am a threat. He needs to think he's holding all the power in this situation.' Her decision made, she conjured up an illusion of a teenage fox demon in her mind. His hair was the same color as Shippo's but reached his shoulders when pulled into a high ponytail; his eyes were piercingly blue instead of green. His pants were black with a blue top that matched his eyes. To top off his outfit, Kagome gave him a little red bow tie. 'I know there aren't bow ties in this age, but he's so cute.'

"My patience wears thin sorcerer. Show yourself and spare your life. Answer me." His voice was flat, but somehow the obvious threat rang clear.

As he said this, Kagome's kitsune magician appeared a few feet in front of her. She spoke through the image as she made her plea. Her voice much lower, she replied, "Your request is very generous; however, I need time to consider this proposition. Although my life is in your hands, I do not willingly give my power without due consideration." Kagome's heart stopped as she watched his reaction. Was he going to kill her now, or would he allow her the time she needed to think of a way out of this situation? Fear gripped her.

"Your power is too great to be ignored. You have three days to consider your choice. Do not be ignorant of the fact that, though I may desire to have your power at my disposal, I will not hesitate to kill you to prevent that power from being used against me by the other lords. I will return in three days. Should you attempt escape, and I will hunt you to your death." With that, he left the spring. Kagome released a long sigh. 'That went well,' she bit sarcastically as she gathered her bathing supplies and headed back to camp.

Hey guess what . . . that chapter was two pages longer than the first two chapters! Don't you love me! Well, at least there's some action in this chapter. Anywho, things are about to get complicated. Review and let me know if you like the track I'm on! My plans for this fic are nowhere near concrete. So if you have suggestions (and I like them) I'll try to incorporate them.

I'll update again soon. Syrinx


	4. Enter the Nymph

Disclaimer: must I really repeat myself on every chapter. . . I do not own this group of characters, their actions, personalities, or anything else about them. In other words, don't sue me.

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter Four Enter the Nymph

Evening two after Sesshomaru's 'proposition' and Kagome was about to begin practicing once again.

"Proposition, hmph, like I really have any choice if I like my life. Whatever, I'll find a way out of it." Kagome had developed her magic to a startling level in a very short time. The previous evening had passed without incident; she learned how to shape her power into weapons. White orbs of light had shifted into the shapes of arrows only to fly into trees, scorching the bark. She felt a bit upset about practicing on Mother Nature, but she didn't think she could 'heal' trees.

Kagome did not bother to erect a spell to cover her. Sango had already bathed with her and left the spring. Inuyasha was sulking under a tree because it was his 'monthly time,' and Sango wouldn't let Miroku near the stream if she thought Kagome was still bathing despite the fact that Kagome had chosen to bath in her swimsuit this evening.

"Perfect, all alone. Ok, what to do tonight?" She looked around the clearing she now occupied. The clearing was the same one she used to practice last night also. The group had not traveled today because Inuyasha wanted to save his strength for with night of weakness. She felt a pang of guilt as she looked at the scorches on several trees in the clearing.

"I guess I better pick on some one my own size, huh? Well first we need some light." Since the night of the new moon held no natural lighting, the clearing was eerily dark.

Kagome allowed her power to flow through her and held her hand, palm up, in front of her chest. Orbs of light sprang from her fingers and flew towards the tree branches around her. When she had done this, she smiled. The lighting in the trees looked like twinkling Christmas lights used to decorate romantic chateaus. There was enough light cast about her to see clearly, but she didn't want it to be bright enough to attract attention.

"Now, let's try some new techniques." She had been thinking all day about new weapon shapes she could use. "I've already mastered the arrow; my orbs seen to work fine, but then again I've never used them in any way but for light. The basics are the same so the orb form should work. What about, hmm, that could be a bit painful, but we can try it anyways."

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Before him was a female creature. She appeared human in her form, but her scent was surrounded by a strong magic of which no human was capable. Also, she was covered in a strange material which clung to her form and shimmered in the light. Bright colors, and vivid depictions of foreign flowers were emblazoned across the indecent garb. No human had access to such rich materials, not even the wealthiest. (swimsuit) Sesshoumaru concluded that he must be in the presence of a nymph.

He had never seen one before; they were masters in their domain, capable of sinking into the trees or rivers and merging with the source of their power. He knew them only by the tales of their mysterious power and beauty or the rumors of soft songs as one travels in the forest at might.

He watched as the nymph in front of him was circled by ten tiny orbs of light. Their color was white as they twisted around her. Her hair lifted off her shoulders, floating around her. He was entranced by the sight. All of a sudden her eyes shot open, the orbs changed color, from white to a deep purple. The orbs changed shape to a disc form as they circled coming closer and closer to her body. When they got close enough to touch her, Sesshoumaru could smell blood. Alarmed, he looked closer and could see blood trickling down her body from the numerous shallow cuts she was receiving from the orbs.

The sorcerer, it seemed, liked to torture his victims before disposing of them. Enraged that the sorcerer would prey on a creature as benevolent and beautiful as a nymph, and upset that the rare creature was being brutally murdered in his lands, he took a step forward to put an end to the sorcerer and his malice.

As he took that step forward, he noticed that there was no fear in the nymph's eyes. He halted his steps and watched once more. Her eyes closed. The color of the lights changed again, this time from indigo purple to a deep yellow. The lights spun around her so quickly that it appeared she was surrounded by an iridescent gold bubble. The bubble brightened, and the smell of blood disappeared. On closer inspection, Sesshoumaru could no longer see the deep red lines running down her form. All traces of the sight and smell were gone. As the bubble faded the nymph fell to the ground, and she scooted back against a tree to recover from her encounter.

Sesshoumaru stepped fully into the clearing and called out to the sorcerer. Looking into the trees for the source of his irritation, he said, "I am impressed by your skills, sorcerer; however, I do not approve of mindless killing. What is your purpose with torturing the young nymph?"

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Kagome's eyes shot open in fear as soon as he spoke; 'How did I not know he was there? I guess my own power blinded me to his presence. No! Now he has seen my true form. Any advantage I had is now gone! This can't be happening' She was panicking.

Kagome listened; confused that he was not looking at her. 'Who was this nymph he is talking about; I would not torture anyone. . .' It was then that Kagome realized that Sesshoumaru thought the sorcerer was still hidden from him. 'Does he really think I'm a nymph?' Kagome was flattered that he had compared her to a creature that was known for their elusive beauty.

Shaking herself out of her reverie, she realized that she could still fool the demon lord. Concentrating, she created the illusion of the young, kitsune sorcerer she had already shown the lord.

Speaking through her illusion she replied, "The nymph is none of your concern, she is mine no matter whose lands I am in. If I am correct, I still have another day to answer your proposal. I would appreciate it if you would not spy on me until that point in time. Leave me now, the nymph needs to rest before I can practice more." Kagome spoke with an arrogance she knew never she was capable.

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Rage. That is the only word that could describe what he was feeling.

'Did he just dare to dismiss the Lord of the Western Lands? He would pay for his insolence. Not to mention that this beast practiced on such a rare being. It must be a regular occurrence, no wonder there was no fear in her eyes earlier. Do I really want one such as him to be in my service? Still, the offer was made, and if he accepts, then I must keep my word and my honor. But that does not mean I cannot punish him for his lack of respect.' A smirk threatened to overtake his lips, but still his emotionless mask was held firmly in place.

Without a word, he turned to leave plotting the different ways the sorcerer would die should he refuse. And thinking of more adequate punishments should he accept.

'That was too close! He was so angry at 'the sorcerer' that it seemed as though he was about to kill. I wonder what he'll do when he finds out the 'nymph' is the 'sorcerer,' I don't think he'll be happy. He doesn't seem to be the type that likes surprises.' A mischievous smile crossed her face as her thoughts returned to how tired she was.

"That little scene took a lot out of my physically. My magic source is barely touched, which is amazing by the way, but I don't think my body can handle the gift I've been given." Kagome was slightly scared as the realization struck her that she might be in danger not only from Sesshoumaru, but also from herself.

"Ok, its time to tell the gang. I don't think I can handle this on my own anymore."

Yeah, so this chapter was shorter than the last, but hey I posted two chapters within a day of each other. I should be reading for a test, but this is my procrastination technique. Anyways, I hope you like the chapters I posted. Review me! I promise I will respond to your reviews. Ask anyone who has. I try to be a personal with my responses as you guys are with your reviews. So drop me a line and tell me whatcha think! Syrinx


	5. Understandings and Affection Lines

Disclaimer: This is my last one. I'm not writing it anymore because it depresses me too much!! I DON'T OWN THEM.  
  
Enchanted Orbs  
  
Chapter 5~Understandings and Affection Lines  
  
A/N: This is IMPORTANT to the story!! It has come to my attention that some don't believe Sess would be clueless as to who Kag is. "Hasn't he seen her before...Can't he smell her...etc." Yes, he has seen her before, BUT in my opinion (which may be wrong, but its my story so...) the almighty demon lord would NEVER deem a human worth a spare glance. Even when she broke his armor, he didn't really notice her as anything except someone else to kill. So no, in this story, he's never really seen her before, or at least not well enough to recognize her by anything beyond scent. Sorry bout the confusion. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hey, can I talk to you for a minute, Inuyasha?" He looks up from his sitting position, they lock eyes for an endless moment before he nods. Sango and Miroku watch as they rise and walk to the springs. When they arrive, they sit facing each other. Kagome takes a deep breath and begins.  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you this sooner, but I wanted to surprise you with . . ."  
  
"Your magic, yes I know."  
  
Her jaw drops. "What? How did you know, you couldn't have seen me practicing and..."  
  
"Magic has a very distinct smell. Its not usually a strong smell, but the more power there is behind it, the stronger the scent. Yours has nearly knocked me over a couple of times. I can actually smell it now, even though my sense of smell is inferior tonight."  
  
Kagome is silent for a second. 'Maybe that's why...' "Hey Inuyasha, does the smell of magic interfere with other scents? Would it cover my scent if I tried to hide or runaway from a demon?"  
  
"If the scent is strong enough, yeah. Why?"  
  
"Oh, just wondering." 'That's why I was able to fool him, but I guess the charade ends tomorrow night.' "Are you mad?"  
  
"I knew you were trying to improve your skills. I figured if you wanted me to know you'd tell me, but Sango and Miroku were a mad that you didn't trust them enough to tell them. I told them so they would leave you alone to practice."  
  
"I just wanted to surprise you. I wanted you all to be shocked at how strong I've gotten." Kagome said with a downcast look. Tears started to form in deep blue eyes. She looked up at him, "Please forgive me"  
  
Shocked that he upset her so much, he reached forward, wrapped his arms around her hunched back, and drew her towards him. Kagome put her hands on his chest to cushion the collision into him, and sobbed.  
  
(A/N: I know this may seem a little OC, but in my reasoning...Inuyasha is human tonight, and he always seemed a bit more sensitive to human emotions on those nights.)  
  
"I'm sorry, Kagome, I didn't know it would upset you this much."  
  
"Its not just what you said, I'm just...I'm just so scared."  
  
He squeezed her gently and remained silent, 'If she wants to tell me, she'll tell me.'  
  
Kagome; however, took his silence as a lack of concern and stayed quiet. A little mad at the thought that he didn't care, she pushed away from him. When she looked into his eyes, she saw gentleness and concern.  
  
"Kagome..."  
  
"Inuyasha, I don't think I can handle my power anymore. I'm afraid I'll die at my own strength."  
  
His eyes widened slightly, but he consoled her, "Your power wouldn't have developed to that point if you couldn't...Now lets get back to the others." Silence.  
  
Silence.  
  
"You go. I need to be alone for a bit before I face them." He nodded and stood to leave. As he reached the trees, he turned.  
  
"This changes nothing, I still owe her my life." When he was gone, she broke down again.  
  
'Why? Kami, why must he play with me so? Countless times he's held me like a lover, then again, in his mind he's probably seeing and holding her.' After a few minutes pass, she pulls together the pieces of her shattered emotions. "I was warned. I was told about his feelings. I am a shadow, but at least now I have the power to stand on my own. I could venture out on my own. No, I have a responsibility, duty to fulfill. I must stay with him. Help him, but I can no longer give him my heart for fear of getting it back in pieces. Plus, that's what Naraku wants." Remembering what the woman told her about his plan to twist her love of the hanyou in order to defeat her pure soul. With sorrow in her heart she rose and began to walk back to camp. Before entering she donned a brilliant smile which didn't reach her eyes.  
  
"Hey guys. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I wanted to surprise you in battle. I guess it was callous of me to keep it from you." She bowed her head as she spoke.  
  
Sango crushes Kagome against her chest in a fervent hug. "Of course, you are forgiven. Now, cheer up and give us a show." Kagome pulled back enough to look into her eyes as Sango winked at her. A huge smile graced Kagome's face as she nodded enthusiastically.  
  
'I'm really not in the mood to demonstrate my weapons, plus, I think they would be horrified if they saw me practicing on myself. Well, that only leaves...'  
  
Four small orbs of white light appeared circling Kagome's shoulders. They slowly circled around her once then flew to the other members of the group, one to each of them. Sango, with Kirara in her arms, found one caressing her face and sifting through her ponytail. It mischievously untied her hair and made it fall to her shoulders.  
  
Miroku's light treated him as he treats the girls. His eyes widened as he felt a warm caress travel down his back and rest on his cheeks. Kagome laughed when she saw him blush. 'That's a first' she thought.  
  
Inuyasha's orb darted around his head like a fly. The hanyou swatted at it trying to det it to leave him alone. He finally managed to catch it in his palms, but his hands snapped back. The light in front was now pink, and his hands were slightly burned.  
  
Shippo's light was leaping in front and behind him as the fox cub chased it as if it were a butterfly. This continued for a few minutes as Kagome laughed with her friends at the display then summoned the orbs back to her. Once again they circled her. The lights multiplied and headed towards the trees to light up the camp.  
  
She smiled and winked at Shippo as two orbs floated to him, circled around him, lifted him off the ground, and carried him to her. When she held him in her arms, the orbs that trailed him rocketed into the sky. Higher and higher until they could not be seen. A fireworks-type display rained down towards the campers, sparkling and shimmering in the night sky as the on- lookers gaped.  
  
As the display ended, Kagome asked "Well, what did you think?"  
  
"That was marvelous, Kagome. I have never seen anything so beautiful." Sango replied as she gazed at the twinkly lights in the trees.  
  
"I have to agree with Sango, your power is intense to be able to have such firm control on so many orbs at once." Miroku agreed. Shippo only beamed at Kagome and snuggled into her waist.  
  
"Feh! Yeah that's great if we need a torch, but you are still weak when it comes to battle." Inuyasha's snide reply made Kagome a bit ticked!  
  
Sango and Miroku glared at Inuyasha, and looked toward Kagome to comfort her only to step back in apprehension.  
  
Kagome's eyes narrowed as a purple light appeared in front of her chest. It flattened into the shape of a disk, and shot towards him, grazed his cheek, and continued into the woods behind him. Miroku and Sango's eyes widened.  
  
Inuyasha looked at them as his hand reached up to touch his cheek. "What the hell?" he asked as he looked at his blood-stained fingers.  
  
"Is that more what you were looking for, Inuyasha?"  
  
"Ok, first you try to purify my hands and then you cut my face!! What's your problem, wench?"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you wanted a little bloodshed. Here I'll fix it since you are weak tonight." Kagome stressed the last sentence as she closed her eyes. Two yellow orbs floated towards him. He flinched as one whirred around his two hands and the other stroked his cheek. When they disappeared, no trace of his injuries where left, not even the blood on his face and fingers.  
  
All stood amazed at Kagome's abilities.  
  
************  
  
Hours had passed. Everyone was asleep except Inuyasha who refused to sleep on his weak night and Kagome who could not sleep.  
  
Her thoughts would not let her rest. 'I never decided how to deal with Sesshomaru. To refuse him is death, but I can't abandon my duty. Being a demon lord he must have some sense of honor, maybe he will allow me to finish before I join him. Join him... who am I kidding? I want to go home once the jewel is repaired. Wait, what does he want me for anyways? He said I have great power and does not want another to use me against him. Maybe if I explain that I will be in another time he'll understand that I'm not a threat...but he acted like he wanted to use my magic. Why? He is already so strong. Is he really that greedy and power hungry? I really hope not. If that's the case then I'm dead!! This isn't getting me anywhere. I'll just have to ask what he will use me for, but he might not deem me worthy of telling his plans. ... Well Tough!!! If he wants my power I need to know what his intentions are! What if he wants to kill me for asking? Dang, well what about a bargaining chip? Yeah! That's it, but, wait, what would a demon lord possibly want that I could give? Hmmm...yes, that's perfect!' Kagome's thoughts calmed as she thought up a plan to handle the taiyoukai. Soon she was fast asleep.  
  
*************  
  
The next day as the group was traveling, Kagome reflected on the previous evening's events. 'I can't believe it. I mean one minute he's holding me like there is no tomorrow and today he does not even look at me. How can you be so hot and cold, Inuyasha? Well, maybe I should try to do what I was told. Now how did she put it? Focus on the relationship between us, then mold it into something else. That could be useful!! No, more heartache for Kagome...hey, maybe I could even get Hojo to stop bugging me without hurting him!! I like this already!!'  
  
She was walking in the group, Inuyasha leading, Miroku in front of her, and Sango standing beside her. Shippo was riding Kirara who was walking a bit behind Sango. Kagome began to concentrate on the relationships between the members of the group.  
  
She noticed Sango sneek a long glance at Miroku. As Kagome focused on the two she saw a faint line appear connecting them together. The line became brighter and it appeared to be made solely of light. Its shade was a brilliant pink. 'Hmm...pink. I guess that would be an appropriate crush color. Sango would never admit to harboring a crush on Miroku, but she doesn't have to SAY anything anymore. I have proof!!'  
  
A smirk crossed Kagome's face as she looked at her friend. Meeting her gaze, Sango saw her smirk, and blushed. At this Kagome giggled, "Sango you can't hide it from me, I know you like him, why don't you go walk with him instead of acting like I didn't catch you watching him."  
  
Sango's blush darkened, "I don't know what you're talking about, Kagome."  
  
Kagome continued to smile as she focused her mind elsewhere. She noticed when Sango broke her gaze from the monk, the line faded away.  
  
'Hmm, it must only work when their looking at someone. Maybe. I'll test that theory.' Kagome focused on Miroku also. As she looked at him, she noticed a vibrant green light in the form of a line connecting the two of them.  
  
'Green, a passive yet vivid color, peaceful and serene, but noticeable. Yes, I guess that would be an excellent color to represent friendship. This is fun.' She then turned her gaze to Inuyasha and her heart fell. "I guess its now or never" she mumbled.  
  
"What did you say, Kagome?" Sango asked concerned for her friend.  
  
"Oh, nothing. I was just talking to myself. I didn't even realize I was speaking aloud. Sorry!!"  
  
Kagome concentrated and once again focused on Inuyasha. A beautiful light caught her attention. The line connecting them was a vivid pink as Sango's was, but the thread had a silver lining braided with it. 'Silver, is that the color of love? It doesn't seem right. I don't know...well, on to the task at hand.'  
  
She mentally grasped the line connecting her to Inuyasha. Tears started to form in her eyes as she willed the line to turn green. It was a hard fought battle that lasted several minutes. Sango noticed her tears. While she had no clue why Kagome was actually crying, she thought she did when she saw who Kagome was staring at.  
  
"Kagome, are you ok?"  
  
"Yes, Sango, its just harder to say goodbye than I thought I would be."  
  
Sango stared at her. Not sure of what you meant she questioned, "What do you mean?"  
  
Kagome dropped her gaze to the ground and replied, "He's just a friend."  
  
Sango decided to drop the subject and placed a comforting hand on the small of her friend's back. The group continued to walk in the direction of the nearest shard.  
  
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She could feel them all. There were five shards left. One to the north, two north west, and the other two due west. She could feel the shards calling to her, giving her information on the current owners. One was being used by human bandits, the leader gaining strength to raid villages. Two owned by minor demons who just used the jewel shards to boost their abilities. The fourth was installed in a very strange creature. He was not physically strong, but something told her he was very dangerous and used people's own abilities against them.  
  
'How? I don't understand that one.'  
  
Just as she was focusing on the fifth, it disappeared from her 'radar.' One thing crashed into her mind... 'Naraku. He must have captured that one, but why can't I feel it anymore? He must have some sort of cloaking spell on the shards he carries. We will have to try to break that. It would be very convenient to know where he was at all times. Let's see feel out the magic used to cloak the sh...'  
  
"Let's set up camp here. The sun is going down, and we've made good time today." Miroku interrupted her thoughts as he and Inuyasha began clearing a campsite for them.  
  
They all sat by the fire. Kagome was lost to her thoughts. 'Sesshomaru will be coming for me tonight. That thought is scary. I might not be alive tomorrow. Well, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.' "I'm going to go bathe, thanks for stopping by a spot with hot springs, Inuyasha. Miroku, thank you for offering to help me make dinner. Sango, thank you for letting me know your secret. I'll be practicing for a while, so you don't have to wait up for me." Sango shot her a questioning stare. Kagome looked at Miroku and gave her a mischievous smirk, then turned to walk away.  
  
Kagome took a quick, but relaxing, bath. She dressed herself, and found a suitable clearing.  
  
"Well, if what Inuyasha said is right, Sesshomaru does not know what my personal scent is, so he can not track me. But, if I ever used my magic, he would recognize that scent, hunt me down, and kill me for ignoring his proposition. So I guess my only choice is to call him here. No more games." She concentrated and sent a wave of power sweeping across the clearing. Afterwards she sent two white orbs straight into the sky, like flares.  
  
"If that doesn't get him here, I don't know what..." Then she felt him approaching. He hovered on the outskirts of the clearing for a moment, then stepped into view. 'Here we go.'  
  
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Yes I know that was an evil place to stop, but its not like I won't be faithful in updating!!! Anyways, what do ya'll want her to do? There are two branches I could take with this. I have one that I like better, BUT input is enjoyable. Hey, and you might actually guess what I'm doing. Although I hope I'm not that predictable.  
  
Kay -Hoped this chapter straightened things out a bit. I didn't want Kagome to be too in control (knowledge-wise) of what was happening. That seems a bit OC for her. As for Sess having seen her before. . .I left an author's note at the beginning of the chapter because a couple of other people felt the same.  
  
***It has come to my attention that I made a promise I could not keep. . .this ticks me off because its not my fault I can't keep it!!! I recently said that if you review me I would respond to everyone who did. Well guess what people. . . if your email address is not on your profile, I can't respond. This sux in the extreme. I really like 'talking' to the people who took the time to send me a review, but I can't if there's no way to get in touch with you!!! So if you review me and don't have a listed email address or account at ff.net, and you want to get a response for your review, you have to leave me a way to get in touch with you!! Love to all!!~Syrinx 


	6. Deathreats and Gifts

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 6 Deathreats and Gifts

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'Be brave Kagome. He won't respect you if he thinks you're weak. Be brave, be brave, you can do this.' This mantra resounded in her head as she saw the demon lord's face. Taking a second to calm her racing heart and steel her resolve, Kagome lifted her head to a confidant level and met his gaze. Their eyes clashed as he stalked towards her.

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'How? How did this wench deceive me? And a human no less. Either she is truly a formidable foe, or she is a fortunate liar. This will be resolved. I will find out how I fell victim to her treachery.' His thoughts ran wild through his head as his face remained as stone.

"I do not enjoy being deceived, miko. It is fortunate for you that I have a sense of honor, otherwise your life would have already ended." 'Yes, fear me, little one. Let's see how useful you are.' His thoughts were never betrayed by this emotionless

"One does what one must to survive. You know as well as I that my life would have been forfeit upon our first meeting if you knew who I was and the identity of my traveling companions." Kagome silently praised herself at how steady her voice was holding. Her entire body was tense, and she felt as if she was about to start trembling. But at least her voice was strong.

'Traveling companions?' Then everything snapped into place. The campsite of his half brother, the wisp of a vaguely familiar scent, and her intense healing powers he witnessed previously all merged with a memory of a defiant girl with a bow breaking his armor.

Supressing a growl, he thought, 'Yes, she would certainly be dead if I had known, but I did make an offer. To retract this would tarnish my dignity, but to employ a human would also accomplish said blemish. This meeting should prove interesting.' His irritation was reaching a high point.

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The breeze swept across the camp. Inuyasha, sitting with arms and legs crossed, breathed deeply. His eyes shot open with the realization that his brother was near. Not even bothering to explain to the others he leapt off as he realized Kagome was not in the camp.

'I have to get to her. Please, don't let me be too late.' He prayed to whoever might be listening.

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Kagome was trying her hardest to act dignified. She was being respectful of someone who had NOT earned it in any way, and the brute continued to make snide comments about her humanity. She ignored it the first couple of times, but this is the last straw!

"Look you, I don't know why you insist on degrading me simply because I am human. I can't help it, so get over it! You're the one who threatened my life if I refuse your little 'offer,' and now I'm stuck being under you until you allow me to leave. Why don't we make this easy on ourselves and forget that we've even seen each other. I'll ignore your proposal and you can claim it never happened. Alright?" She was mad, beyond all reasoning mad, but she managed to keep from yelling at the obnoxious lord.

"My honor does not allow it." His voice was dead, and his face showed nothing.

Which annoyed Kagome to a great extent. "Hmph, well at least there is one good asset you have, even if it is irritating." She half mumbled her words.

But mumble or no, the youkai heard her words and was not amused. "This Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, has killed insignificant humans who have dared to looked at him disrespectfully. Do not think that you are able to verbally insult me and not be punished." His voice remained flat, but the threat was obvious to any who heard.

Kagome smirked, "Your honor would not allow my death until I refuse."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed dangerously.

Finding herself pinned roughly against a tree with claws barely breaking the skin on her neck, Kagome realized this was not Inuyasha who she was playfully bantering. A very angry and dangerous creature would have no qualms about her death at his hands now that he had her in a very compromising position.

He could smell her fear as she realized her position. 'Hmm, delicious.' As a powerful and ruthless demon, he loved the smell of fear, but it did not last long. Seconds later her fear turned to anger once again.

He watched as his hand began to glow white. His eyes widened as his fingers were forced to loosen their grip on her neck. His fingers still touched her skin, but now it was more of a caress instead of the vice it had been.

With his ever stoic façade, he spoke, "You could not stop me if I wanted you dead."

"Yes, I know, but your honor prevents you from killing me now. Plus, I really do not want bruises on neck." Her voice echoed his dead calm, no fear remained within her voice.

Angered, he brought his face closer to her to intimidate her, "What of my offer?"

"I have…" Sesshomaru's eyes narrow as he and Kagome both turned their faces towards the campsite. Inuyasha was coming.

Sesshomaru took a step away from and started to release her neck.

'I must deal with him first. Then we will…' he was stopped by a hand on his wrist.

His eyes dropped to her hand. He stared at it until he was sure she would remove it, but she didn't. She only looked in the direction of the fast approaching hanyou.

"Allow me my Lord." She spoke quietly, but her thoughts were racing. 'Please don't hate me, Inuyasha, but I don't want you to get hurt.'

A flash of red entered the clearing, just as Inuyasha saw Kagome with Sesshomaru's hand around her throat, he made a mad dash for her.

A barrier appeared in front of him, but in his haste he did not realize until he had already crashed into it with brutal force. He staggered backwards to try to keep conscious, but failed as he fell to the forest floor.

"I'm sure that was a bit quicker than what you had planned." Kagome stated as she released his wrist.

Their eyes meet and held each other for some time, each trying to figure out the other's motives.

"Answer me." He commanded.

'Jerk.' She thought. "I will join your services, but I cannot leave my duty now. I have prior obligations to complete first." She was fairly confident he would understand that she was honor-bound to her task, but the taiyoukai had a way of ruining her plans.

"The jewel." He stated more than asked.

"Yes, it chose me as its protector. I am the one who shattered it, and it is my duty to complete it, and my honor requires I complete this task." Her resolve was firm.

"And when you finish, you will give it to the hanyou." He continued, his voice was stone.

Her mouth dropped. "How did you…"

"A ruler must know everything possible about sources of power. If he is surprised by such, his rule will be short lived." His gaze burned through her with his words.

Kagome realized he was also talking about her in that statement, and she couldn't suppress the shudder that worked down her spine. "You are correct. I made a promise to him that he could have the wish."

"You know what will happen." Ever the conversationalist, he pressed her with his words.

Her head drooped. "Yes, I have thought about it. I do know what will occur."

"I will return when your task is completed." He turned to walk away.

"Wait! I would like to know what my position or role will be when I'm under you. I do not know why I would be of any use to you." She couldn't resist voicing her curiosity.

"You have your uses. You will be informed once you are with me."

Her face steeled. "You must know now, I will not kill for you…" His face turned to her slowly, and he narrowed his eyes as she continued. "You may be my Lord, but I am a miko first. I will not kill innocents, demon or human."

He was amused. Did she just refer to demons as innocents? This one was strange. He thought for a moment.

"You will not be required to kill those who do not endanger your life." He answered critically.

"Then what do you want me for?" Confusion and frustration laced her voice.

"In the very least, you could be a practicing tool. The boys do enjoy live victims occasionally on which to practice." The face she made was priceless and he couldn't help but smirk at her recently paled face.

When she saw him smirk, she closed her mouth. She composed and comforted herself, knowing he would not go to so much trouble for a tackling dummy.

"I was not aware you had a sense of humor." She was not answered. A thought crossed his mind. He did want to know how exactly he would use her. He already had a few possibilities, but he still was not aware of her full abilities.

"Let us find out how useful you will be. Prepare yourself." Along with a single step forward, his words were her only warning as he sprinted towards her.

'Huh? Uh-oh.' She barely had time to erect a powerful shield around her.

She opened her eyes to find out he was back across the clearing drawing Toukijin. She shifted her full barrier to just block the front of her, so it would become twice as protective against the evil sword.

She held her breath as what seemed like hundreds of searing lines of red flashed in her view. All were blocked once they hit the shield.

Instantly after his attack was completed, he was behind her where her barrier was absent. Kagome was roused from relief at the swords failed attack when she felt steel against her throat.

"Turn around." The cool voice betrayed none of his thoughts to her.

She obeyed slowly so the sword wouldn't mar her throat. When her gaze met his, he stated, "Your defense is good but lacking for one as powerful as you. Let us try offense."

He was back across the clearing quicker than she could register. Slightly mad that he had so quickly defeated her, she concentrated on making him regret what just happened.

"Try to touch me." He was taunting her now. He knew it, but he wanted to make her mad enough to where her concentration would be affected. He wanted to know if anger made her more focused or if it pushed her to blind fury.

As he watched, three pink orbs of light appeared in front of her. They flew to him. He dodged them easily as they circled back towards him. When they reached his vicinity, they parted and began flying in different directions, each trying to touch him. With little difficulty he ducked in and out of the offensive lights. Three became five, five became ten, and he was impressed that she could hold such precise control over so many orbs at once.

He became so concentrated on avoiding her attacks that he was slightly unnerved when the pink color changed to purple. The shape of the lights changed into sharp discs which were wider than the orbs. This made things a bit more difficult, giving him less room to maneuver. He was beginning to wonder how long this would carry one, when he noticed there was a pattern forming.

'Yes, I see it now.' He smirked as he found a flaw in her attack. 'I'll brake through her pattern and go on the offense.' The fact that he had been on defense for about five minutes upset him. He is usually the one in control. He never dealt well with being put on the defensive for long. He preferred attacking.

As he prepared to leap through the open path out, the pattern changed. Before he could defend he had ten gashes on various places around him. If it had been only one or two discs which found their mark, he would have associated it with pure luck, but every one had found his skin. He knew he had been tricked.

Keeping his anger in check, he looked at the small smirk plastered on her features.

"So tell me Lord Sesshomaru, how useful am I?"

'Intelligent and powerful, my instincts were right about her. She may be a human, but I can certainly make use of her.' He would never deign to reveal this to her. "You would prove a challenging dummy, but I am certain I can find other uses for your abilities."

Kagome didn't know whether to be mad at his insult or pleased that she had passed his test. She schooled her face to look indifferently at the demon lord.

As he turned to leave, Kagome protested, "Wait, let me heal your wounds." Her voice sounded somewhat guilty.

He turned, "There is no need, most have already closed."

"But you still have blood on you, I can change that." She took his silence as approval.

Yellow light surrounded him. He watched as the bloodstains disappeared from his garb. The silk still had holes, and the clothing was destroyed, but at least scent of his blood was gone. It would not attract any unnecessary company on the journey back.

After a few moments, he wondered why he was still surrounded by golden light. The injuries inflicted on him were slight gashes; it would have taken only a moment for her to clean his appearance. He looked down and realized she was giving him back his arm.

His eyes widened and shot to hers. Her lids were half-closed in concentration.

'She's purposely giving it back to me.' He thought, bewildered.

When it was done, he looked at her as if asking why. Though he would not lower himself to ask, he secretly wondered. Did she still consider him an enemy? Was she still upset at him forcing her into his service? Her gift gave those questions a negative response.

When she saw his silent question, she simply replied, "Thank you for your patience in letting me accomplish my quest. I assume you will find me once the battle is over?"

He nodded in affirmation. As he began to leave, once again her voice called out for him to stop.

"I have a family and a home that I was to return to once my mission was over. May I have some time to spend with them before returning with you?"

Silence. "I will give you time, then retrieve you."

"But you don't understand; I need a time frame. I need to know when to come back." She was desperately trying to avoid the subject of her origin, but she couldn't demand anything on him. He would only be angered by such.

"I assure you my tracking capabilities will allow me to find you. You do not need to worry over meeting me." He was beginning to become curious as to her line of thinking. She was hiding something, that was obvious, but what?

She knew this would not be taken well. Taking a deep breath, she continued "Where I am from, you will not be able to reach me, I must come back to you so that you may find me."

Offended by her assumptions, he spoke. "Are you insulting my ab…"

"No," her voice was a little higher pitched than she wanted it to be. 'How to explain without explaining…' "My home is protected by magic. No one can come or leave. I am not sure why I am permitted to travel back and forth…" 'Not a total lie' "I guess the magic chooses who can cross its barrier. Only Inuyasha and I have been allowed through from either side. Unless you want him to come get me, I'll need a timeframe."

He was at a loss for words. Although he did not believe her, he wondered if there was such magic that was strong enough prevent him from her. He also wondered if she would actually come back if she could escape his pursuit. But, no, she spoke of her duty to restore the shattered jewel. She might be human, but she did hold a sense of honor about such things. And she had given her word. "You have a week with your family after you reach it." With that he turned, for what seemed like the tenth time, to leave, but this time he succeeded in exiting the clearing.

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Revised and updated 05/05


	7. Landmines

Ok, so I'm not quite sure how to do the different fonts in uploaded documents. I tried sorry! I hope its not too confusing without it.

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 7 Landmines

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She reached out with her senses… 'yes, he is gone.' When that thought finished crossing her mind, she collapsed to the floor of the clearing. "Wow, I feel like a speedbump. Yep, and a semi-truck just ran over me…all eighteen wheels. Uuugh"

"Uuugh" A second groan echoed through the trees.

"Huh? Oh no! I forgot about Inuyasha!" With all the strength she could gather, she crawled over to the awakening hanyou.

"Inuyasha, Inuyasha? Are you ok?" She asked as she approached him. She gathered his head in her lap and waited for him to come into consciousness.

"Mmm…Feh." His voice was soft and forced. He opened his eyes and met Kagome's stare. "What happened? Where did Sesshomaru go? He didn't hurt you, did he? I'll kill him!" He asked gathering strength and speed with each question.

"Calm down, he's gone. No, he didn't hurt me." Her voice was gentle, coaxing him to believe her and calm down.

"What the HELL happened?" Now a bit angry and irritated, he refused to submit to her attempts to calm his anger.

'Well, he'll find out sooner or later,' Kagome took a deep breath. "He offered me a job."

"WHAT?" Floored. That's the only thing that could describe how he felt. "What do you mean, he offered you a job." Her silence disturbed him. "You turned him down, right?" His voice was heavy with pressure.

"eheheh…well kinda. I didn't have a whole lot of choice. I would like to stay…hmm how do you say, ALIVE!" She was beginning to echoed his frustration.

Inuyasha winced at her outburst. "…Wait, you actually ACCEPTED?"

"Not yet. I told him I needed to finish the jewel first. So don't worry your precious Shikon will be made whole, and you'll get your wish." Kagome said a bit too bitterly for her tastes.

Again he winced, he had hoped she wouldn't take it that way, but there wasn't a lot he could do now. He definitely wasn't going to comfort her, especially now that she has made a deal with his evil brother.

She shook herself, put the smile back on her face, and started, "Can you make it to camp, or do you need me to get Miroku to help?"

At this Inuyasha realized his head was still in her lap. He shot up into a sitting position with wide eyes. 'Why wasn't she blushing? She always blushed, even when our arms barely brushed each other?' but before he could think any more on the subject, Kagome cut him off…

"I guess that means you'll be fine. Walk me back?" She asked gently.

"Whatever." He recovered quickly, and returned to his normal charming personality.

With a roll of her eyes, she stood, and they made their way back to the others.

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_He looked down to see ten shallow cuts in various places on his otherwise immaculate skin. He lifted his head to gaze into brilliant blue, defiant eyes above a triumphant smirk._

"_So tell me Lord Sesshomaru, how useful am I?" …_

The scene replayed over and over in his head. He couldn't distinguish whether he was mad that she actually touched him with her attacks or whether he was amused that she was capable of challenging him.

'Taunting me…I actually let someone taunt me. How was I deceived again by her? This is twice that she has succeeded in tricking me. Maybe she does have some kitsune in her after all…' he smirked at his own thoughts.

"My Lord, this humble Jaken is here to serve you. Do you need something, My Lord?" Jaken asked. He was thoroughly scared when he saw Sesshomaru smirk. That sign was usually followed by pain and plenty of it.

Jaken was answered by silence as his lord continued his thoughts.

'What do I use her for? Her power is truly a surprise. She would be an excellent assassin, but no. She refused to kill. Surprise would be the best way to utilize her. She has such fragile look to her, yes. Shock over her hidden power could bring many of my enemies to their death. Damn, no, she won't kill… Maybe I can fix that…hmm.' Again a smirk flitted across his face.

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They had gathered two more shards. This only left two remaining. They had already gotten Kouga's pieces of the jewel. He was not excited about giving them up, but with a few friendly words and flirtatious comments from Kagome they succeeded in their acquisition. It took a few 'sits' for Inuyasha, too.

The possessors of the last two might be trouble. Kagome had tried to avoid one. She got a really bad feeling from it, but sooner or later they'd have to face it. She just wanted to figure out how it used the shard before they attacked it. Until then they set their course for the other possessor.

'Not long, now. How can I not tell how the other one uses the shard? Speaking of which…' "Inuyasha there is a shard coming toward us. Guys, be careful. It is really fast."

Still reeling from Kagome's conversation with the wolf prince, Inuyasha started. "Yeah whatever, just stay out of the way."

Kagome had to stifle the frustrated growl that threatened to leave her throat. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid.'

An orange blur appeared in the trees surrounding them as the tiger youkai circled. Miroku twirled his staff as he stood fast by Sango when she readied her weapon. Inuyasha drew Tessaiga and crouched prepared to strike at a seconds notice. Kirara transformed and stayed by her mistress.

With Shippo on her shoulder and her decision to stay out of the battle, Kagome put a barrier between herself and the outside world.

The tiger was drawn to the jewel. It let out a roar as it lunged at the barrier that separated it between its immediate goal…more power, more jewel shards.

Inuyasha tried to intercept, but he was too slow as the tiger began to strike Kagome's protection. Sango released the great boomerang, but again the tiger's speed was victorious. Kirara growled and crouched ready for any attack.

"Stupid tiger, your fight's with me!" Inuyasha yelled as he lunged again at the youkai. Raising its head from its work on the barrier, the tiger locked eyes with Inuyasha only to disappear seconds later.

An orange blur was seen circling the hanyou until Inuyasha grunted and fell to his knees. Three rips through his haori and three gashes through his skin later, Inuyasha staggered to regain his feet.

Then an orange blur began to circle Miroku and Sango.

'Oh no! I have to do something.' Kagome thought. 'I wanted to save this for Naraku, but if I don't do something soon…'

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" The blur stopped and everyone's head turned to look at a very upset Kagome.

Kagome spread her barrier to protect the kneeling Inuyasha next to her. Another barrier appeared around the other three companions.

The tiger released a frustrated growl and began to pummel the shields. Everyone looked to Kagome who had her eyes partially closed.

Instantly the area surrounding the barriers was filled with pink lights. As if sensing the danger the tiger went completely still, then slowly crept towards one. As it approached one, pink flicked to deep purple then returned to pink. The tiger backed away quickly. It almost ran into another as it backed away which again briefly turned purple when it neared.

"Kagome, what's going on? Let me outta here. That thing's gonna pay for my blood with his." Inuyasha began, his volume raising as she ignored him.

Inuyasha began to pound on the shield to escape.

"Inuyasha stop!" Kagome hissed. "Don't distract me or we could all die."

Inuyasha froze, but he wasn't happy about it. "Feh!"

The tiger was stock still, as Kagome kept up her minefield. Finally the youkai got frustrated waiting. It wanted more blood, it wanted the power of the jewel, so it lunged again at Kagome.

As it brushed by one of the orbs, small explosions of light were seen. Pink purified as purple cut through whatever was in the way.

When the light faded, the shard was laying on the ground. Nothing remained of the possessor except a few scorched spots and some shaved fur on the ground. The remaining orbs faded as the shields disappeared.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?" Inuyasha screeched as he turned to face Kagome, but she was on her knees clutching the ground and breathing erratically.

"Kagome! What's wrong are you ok?" Sango rushed forward to help her friend as Inuyasha and Miroku took tentative steps to the kneeling girl.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just a little tired." Sango help her to stand, and walked her to a nearby tree so she could lean against it.

"Lady Kagome, when you catch your breath, perhaps you could explain what just happened." Miroku quietly asked as he took a seat next to the two girls.

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Sesshomaru was walking back to his ancestral home with his ward and retainer when he abruptly stopped. Rin ran into the back of him with an "umph" and a quick apology.

He didn't hear her though. His mind was currently racing. He had felt a huge surge of energy. The distinct pattern and feel was definitely that of his soon-to-be employee. He had to squash the instinct to rush to protect her.

'She is not under my service as of yet; therefore, she is not my burden now.' But secretly he wondered what happened to cause her to exert such a great deal of power. He was about a hundred miles from her, but still easily felt the afterwave shock of energy.

He began his trek again. They had nearly reached their destination. He had preparations to make before the miko was to enter his household.

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"Ok, here goes. What you saw was what I've been practicing lately." Kagome began her explanation. She paused and looked around. Everyone was watching her waiting, even the ever stubborn Inuyasha.

"I have different types of magic that I use. There's the healing, purification, and another type. The other type is kinda hard to explain…its my weapon, I guess. I have been thinking about it, and I realized that my purification energy is very useful for demons. But, well…I'm not really sure if it'll save me from corrupt humans. Plus, if someone attacks me with a sword I'm helpless unless I create a shield, and I can't really do that if I need to move around…well not yet, at least." Kagome rambled on, her thoughts becoming a bit erratic.

"Kagome, you're getting sidetracked." Sango pressed quietly.

"Oh, sorry. Well that is a type of power that is dangerous to everyone and is tangible. I don't know exactly how it works, but basically the energy is so compressed that it is solid. This way I could actually block a sword, or cut someone instead of the burns inflicted by the pure energy. See?" Kagome hurried through her explanation.

As she said this, she created a purple disc of said energy. It hovered in the air above them. She reached out and held it in her hand; then, the handed is to Sango.

"Be careful, the edges are extremely sharp." Kagome warned.

Hesitantly Sango took the weapon in her hands; she marveled at the paper thin disc in her hands. It was handed around the makeshift camp as Kagome continued.

"I practiced a bit with the different types, and found a way to combine them into one attack. What you saw was the purification and the compressed mixed into…well…a landmine."

"What is a …" but Miroku was cut off.

"Yes, I know you don't know what that is…well…it is a trap. The orbs surround the enemy, but if something touches them, anything, they explode. Purifying and compressed energy are thrown everywhere. I cannot control where that energy is sent. It just…scatters. I had to erect those shields because with the compressed energy mixed in, those orbs could've badly injured or killed everyone, including me."

She took the disc from Inuyasha and threw it like a frisbee at the nearest tree. A second later the top half of the tree slid aside then crashed to the ground.

Silence reigned. Everyone was shocked.

"Lady Kagome, why did you collapse afterwards? Did you exhaust yourself?" Miroku questioned a bit nervous and hoping to change the subject.

"Well, that's what scares me. Maybe you can help out. I don't really know what's happening. My power supply is not exhausted. In fact, I don't think I could ever use all that I feel inside. I think my body will give in long before I reach the limit of my magic. When I use that much, my body is put under so much stress from the power being routed through it. I use nothing but concentration to control the magic, so why is my body giving in under the stress? And what can I do to prevent it next time?" Her voice became worried as she pleaded with him to answer her.

Again silence followed her speech, until a hushed, "I do not know," reached her ears.

The tension was great. Kagome felt guilty for worrying her friends, but she wanted them to know what was happening. She dropped her head a bit.

"Well, I'm tired I would like to sleep now. Do you mind?" She asked everyone she wasn't truly exhausted, but she did want to be left alone with her thoughts. With no objections, she unrolled her sleeping bag and settled in for the evening. Sleep quickly came upon her.

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_She stood alone in a field. 'What, how did I get here?' She looked around her. The field was beautiful. Flowers of every color surrounded her. The sun was setting in the western sky and a breeze ruffled through her hair._

_Then she felt a presence. Turning she saw the woman she had wondered about ever since they met. Platinum hair cascaded down her shoulders, caressing her face as the breeze picked up. Her ocean-blue eyes met and matched Kagome's. Her white kimono was graced with silver threaded embroidery in intricate designs present at the hems of the sleeves, down the neckline, and dancing around the hem above her bare feet._

'_That's strange. She's dressed like royalty, yet she walks around barefoot.' Kagome's thoughts swept her away until the woman spoke._

"_I love the feel of grass underfoot. Its what I do to relax; it lets me feel free. A release." The woman said with a quiet but firm voice. The sound was nothing short of a sweet melody._

_The woman was breath-taking, "Who are you?" Kagome asked as she finally found her voice._

_A tiny laugh escaped her lips as she smiled at Kagome. "For now, you may call me Nara."_

"_Why…" Her words failed her. She had never felt so inarticulate before. 'Great Kagome, the most entrancing person you've ever met is standing in front of you, and you revert to one word phrases!'_

"_Why call me Nara? Well I guess you could give me another name if that's what you wish." This time a full laugh escaped her._

_Kagome relaxed with her gentle spirit, and began to regain control over her tongue as she realized the woman was joking with her._

"_What I meant to say was why did you give me this…gift? I don't know if I can handle it. I don't think I am the right person to wield this power."_

"_It was mine to give. It took only a little time to find how to conjure it all, but it will be needed in time. Your worries are unfounded; the power will not hurt you as long as hold true to yourself."_

"_But what does that mean?"_

"_You are pure in spirit and intent. That is a rare quality no matter what time you hail from. That is why you were chosen. You will not misuse the gift granted you, if you do, then your earlier fears will be founded, but I have faith that will not happen."_

_The woman walked toward Kagome. She reached forward and placed her hand on Kagome's cheek. "Be strong. Your path still stretches before you, your journey is beginning, not ending. Your path is not a smooth one, but you will not be alone. This will help you." As she said the last line, her hand left Kagome's face, as she held out a silver chain. The chain was etched in a rope-like pattern, twisting around itself. Occasionally a small leaf and flower branched off the main chain, eventually the rope-like vines came together at a small stone. The stone was a brilliant color blue; the stone matched the color of their eyes. _

_Nara walked around behind Kagome and draped the stone against her forehead. She gently reached around, lifted up the ebony bangs, and let the blue jewel rest about the middle of her brow. With one hand Nara kept a grip on the chain to hold the stone in place; the other lifted the top portion of her hair. She slid the chain under the separated section of hair, then, used an intricate braid to hold the chain fast in Kagome's hair. The leaf and flower patterns that emerged from the chain helped to further ensnare the silver rope into the locks of hair._

_Nara took a step back and smiled. The silver vines sharply contrasted the midnight hair that captured it._

_Kagome turned to face her. They locked eyes, both smiled to each other. _

"_Follow your heart, Kagome." And with that she faded away._

"Wait! Don't go..." Kagome awoke with a start. 'Man, that was weird. No more chocolate right before bed. Wait!' Kagome tentatively reached her hand to her hair when she noticed the absence of cascading hair in her face. When she reached back, there was a something braided into her hair. Quickly she brought her hand to her forehead; her fingers found the stone. 'What does this mean?'

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Revised 05/05


	8. Preparations

Enchanted Orbs  
  
Chapter 8~  
  
Everyone in Sesshomaru's fortress was buzzing. Why had their lord been acting so strangely? No one knew why, but he had been hiring human servants. The demons that walked the halls began to wonder if their place under his service was about to be terminated. Sesshomaru had never employed many servants; he never asked much of them. It seemed he only had them as a symbol of his status. Their only jobs were to prepare meals, clean his estate, and keep the gardens and grounds. He never wanted luxuries, he made his own purchases, and he kept his own counsel. So why all of a sudden had he brought in more servants? And why humans? They were so fragile; they were cheap labor, yes, but the lord was in no financial danger. And didn't he despise humans?  
  
The demon servants were in an uproar. Of course the lord and his retainer never knew of the status of the household.  
  
He acted as if he needed more servants, but some questioned whether he was just making up jobs to be done as an excuse. But why?  
  
He had brought in about twenty human servants. Their duties consisted of laundry, sewing and stitching kimonos, waiting on him during meals, and bringing him any desire he might have while laboring in his study.  
  
All these things do not seem out of the ordinary, but not to those who know the habits of Lord Sesshomaru. He hated being fawned over. He would rather do everything himself if it didn't consist of him being in the servant's areas (kitchen, gardening shed, servant's quarters). Their lord was fiercely independent...well, that was until just recently. What had caused such a big change?  
  
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"Come with me, bring a pitcher of water and a glass." Sesshomaru ordered one of his newly acquired servants. He waited for her to retrieve what he asked, then made his way to the dojo.  
  
When they arrived at the monstrous building outside his home, spoke to a guard he had recently assigned to watch the entrance. 'Foolish, having someone guarding a dojo; a place so full of weapons where one sharpens their fighting skills, and I place a sentinel outside. Oh well, what must be done to ensure privacy. I must get into these habits now.'  
  
"Make sure I am not disturbed." The watchdemon parted the doors for his lord. Sesshomaru entered with the servantgirl following him. There is an exterior room outside the main practice area. This room was designed to facilitate learning close combat skills, but there was also a window cut into the wall. Generals and other superior officers could watch the training of troop through this hole.  
  
Now, however, no one was allow into the dojo, none except the lord of this fortress and a servant girl who was there to serve him should he become thirsty.  
  
"Stay in this room. Do not enter the main area lest you have a death wish or unless I call for a drink." With that he turned on his heel to begin his daily practice.  
  
Katas, meditation, and physical training from hell kept the youkai lord in the dojo for hours. The maid servant who accompanied him in case his thirst was provoked was not envied by any of the staff, demon or human. Hours became decades when there was nothing to do. At least the demon servants could watch him practice, but an untrained and weak human servant could not even watch his performances.  
  
(A/N: I hope this isn't too confusing, but all will be explained.)  
  
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"INUYASHA!! That hurt, you JERK!!" Kagome squealed as she glared daggers at the half demon  
  
"Feh, the 'almighty' Kagome and her new powers are undefeatable, but she complains when she gets hit by a little pebble!" Inuyasha taunted  
  
"If someone wouldn't throw them at me when I wasn't looking, maybe I could dodge them! You just enjoy taking cheap shots!" she snapped back  
  
"I already told you I didn't throw it at you on purpose, you got in the way!"  
  
"Yeah, sure, and I have a purple Chihuahua named Scooter!! Got in the way of what? You just randomly get the urge to throw a rock at another rock!! Just admit it, Inuyasha you're jealous that I could beat you now!!  
  
Sango looks at Miroku. They exchange weary glances. Once again the battle of the sexes rages between miko and demon (well, half demon). Shippo long tired of this game and Kirara tried to walk as far from the yelling duo as possible for her hearing's sake.  
  
Inuyasha cocks his head to the side with wide eyes trying to figure out what a purple Chihuahua was and way anyone would have the name scooter, granted he didn't know what that was either. Then, like lightning, it hit him. She just said he was jealous of her!!  
  
"WHAT?!? You've got to be joking! You couldn't hurt me. The Windscar could beat your floaty lighty things any day!!"  
  
"Yeah, whatever, and you couldn't use the Windscar against me anyways...hello, I'm HUMAN!! You need a demonic aura! So before you could even try, you'd be on the ground."  
  
"Well, consider yourself lucky that I don't want to kill you because if I used the Tessaiga against you, you'd never live to regret it."  
  
"Ha, if I can stand up to Toukijin's attack without being phased, what makes you think you could do any better?" Kagome retorted without thinking. 'OOPS, dang it. I really, really shouldn't have said that!' She almost whimpered when she realized what she just said.  
  
Inuyasha was about to respond with another derogatory remark when what she said registered in his head.  
  
"WHAT?!? You said he didn't hurt you! I'll kill him!" Inuyasha was slightly annoyed earlier, but was secretly enjoying their banter. Now, though, he was UPset.  
  
"And he didn't" Kagome calmly stated. She knew he would be more likely to calm down if she was serene.  
  
"But apparently he tried" Inuyasha huffed.  
  
"It was more of a test than an attempt to hurt me, but hey, I passed."  
  
"Well, don't get too excited." He replied sarcastically. "Hey, why are you defending him?"  
  
"I'm not excited; I'm just glad I'm not dead. I'm pretty sure death would have followed if I hadn't beat his attack...and I'm not defending him. I am just stating fact." Kagome replied as she crossed her arms, turned her dace away from him, and stuck her nose in the air. "Besides, its really funny to see him with a look of shock on his face! It took everything I had not to laugh."  
  
"Laugh at what, Kagome? How did you shock him?" Sango questioned. She had been tuning out their argument, but when she mentioned Sesshoumaru's attack, Sango's attention had been captured.  
  
"Oh, heehee, I managed to cut him. He didn't think I could do it. In fact, he mocked me, the jerk. Until I proved I proved him wrong." A triumphant smirk found its way onto her face.  
  
"Feh, accidents happen. Anyone can get lucky once." Inuyasha was taunting her again  
  
Kagome leveled a knowing gaze on him, looking him straight in the eye and said "Who said anything about once, Inuyasha? I left ten lovely little gashes on the lords person." And with that comment Kagome refused to answer anymore questions concerning Sesshoumaru.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The companions had calmed from their earlier explosions and now walked in silence. Kagome was left to her thoughts as Sango and Miroku kept each others company, Inuyasha was acting as if the others didn't exist, and Shippou happily chased Kirara around everyone's ankles.  
  
She could feel Naraku's presence. Could still could not pinpoint his location, but she could give an area in which he was residing within a radius of three miles. First things first, they still had one shard on the loose. Normally Kagome would have been nervous, but they weren't racing Naraku for the last shard. At least it didn't seem that way. He wasn't anywhere near the location of the last possessor, and if he sent a kugutsu (demon puppet) after someone with a shard, he would at least instill a shard into the puppet to give it enough strength to beat the demon.  
  
She couldn't feel but one shard besides those still being slightly cloaked by the evil hanyou. She still was not sure about how he was cloaking the Shikon no Tama chunk he held with him. All the other pieces practically screamed out to her, begging her to join them together again. The cloaking magic he used was becoming more transparent to her, but as of now it was still a bit foggy. Because of this, she only had a general area of his being, but at least she could tell if a trap had been set.  
  
Emerging from her own musings she looked down to see two very cute, very little demons looking up at her. Their silent pleading to join in the chase was obvious, so Kagome resigned to her fate.  
  
She quickly reached down to tag Shippou, "You're it! Catch me if you can!!" and with that Kagome and Kirara ran away from the pouting kitsune.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Evening time once again, Sango and Kagome head to the waterfront to prepare for bedtime. Sango and Kagome rinsed out the cooking pot in the river.  
  
The two girls conversed quietly by the water's edge before stripping and entering. Cool water drifted by as Kagome and Sango cleansed themselves, joking and laughing as if they had known each other all their lives.  
  
They retreated from the water, dressed, and began to leave, but Kagome noticed something as she bent near the water to pick up the pot. Her hair was still partially pulled back. 'Oh yeah, I forgot about the chain holding my hair back. Such a weird dream.' She didn't see the chain anymore. It was as if her hair was held back by nothing at all. She reached up to her hair and felt the physical presence of the metal chain, but in the waning sunlight, there was no sparkle of silver.  
  
Leaning so close to the water she was about to fall in she looked. The chain was still there, but it had change to black. Now it blended in perfectly with her hair, as if it needed to be camouflaged.  
  
'So that's why nobody said anything about it today.'  
  
Still in awe over the change in color Kagome didn't expect the "Kagome what are you doing?"  
  
"EEEPP!" wash heard as a fully clothed Kagome plunged back into the stream.  
  
Sango was a bit worried when she turned around and realized her friend was not following her back to the campsite, but the sight of Kagome flailing helplessly trying not to fall back into the river and her ultimate failure was too much. She laughed so hard she was forced to bend over and grab her stomach.  
  
A sopping wet Kagome grumbled as she climbed out of the water, passed a violently shaking Sango, and headed back to camp. When she got there, laughter greeted her there, too. She was a sight with her hair plastered to her face, her pajamas dripping wet, and a sour expression on her now thoroughly clean face.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sorry this was so short, but hey FINALS SUCK!! Anyways, I know this chapter is EXTREMELY boring, but I changed my outline last minute, so things are going a bit haywire. Plus I'm waiting on some information before I start progressing into another action sequence (Ya hear that Blaze, hurry up!! *grins* kidding!) I promise nest chapter will be more eventful and the plot (GASP, yes I will have a plot!!) will be further progressed. So don't judge my (lack of) skills as a writer on this chapter. Hopefully nothing as shameful as this chapter will happen again! Don't hate me!  
  
Love to all Syrinx  
  
OH!! P.S. Firewitch666 and Sukera of Darkness...you didn't get review responses because my email system doesn't like your addresses. I tried to send you a response several times, but it kept getting returned. I'll try again next time...if that doesn't work I don't know. *sigh* I just don't know 


	9. The Last Shard

Enchanted Orbs  
  
WARNING: This chapter may contain some spoilers. I am staying true to the location of the last shard...so, if you don't know where it is, and don't wanna...you may want to skip this chapter. But I will take my own twist to everything because well, its hard to explain everything that actually happens in 1-2 chapters. Plus, using the exact original storyline just isn't very creative is it? (Thanx Shikai-sama!! You're the BEST!)  
  
Chapter 9 The Last Shard

* * *

"S-Somebody!!" Kagome yelled as she was hanging by one hand off the side of a cliff. Thick miasma bubbled and gurgled beneath her. Rocks sipped down the rock surface and dissolved in the black pool below her.  
  
'Dissolved?' Kagome shivered.  
  
She heard footsteps as Kikyou appeared above her. Soul bearers wrapped themselves around Kagome and lifted her to face level with Kikyou.  
  
'She's saving me?'  
  
"You are an obstruction." Kikyou stated with a bored expression. She reached out and took the jewel fragment from around Kagome's neck.  
  
"Hey, what do you..." then Kagome found herself plummeting towards the stagnant miasma. 

She awoke with a start. 'Gods, I hate that memory. But why did she take the fragment only to give it to Naraku?' Kagome thought as she recalled the haunting, mocking voice of Naraku saying, 'with her own hand, Kikyou gave me the fragment'  
  
Because of her, they had precious few shards now. That's why they had to find this last shard. The fewer Naraku could use to magnify his power the easier it would be to vanquish him, but this last shard was elusive. She felt as if it was so far away, but it felt so near, too.  
  
'Ah, that can't be right. What's going on with that piece? How can it be far and near at the same time? I don't understand!!'  
  
"Wench! Geeze, are you deaf?" Inuyasha brought Kagome out of her thoughts. She was still laying on her sleeping bag trying to figure out how the last shard's possessor is tricking her into believing its in two places at once when he practically shouted her 'name' to get her attention. "Huh? Oh, morning Inuyasha. What do you want?" She looked up at him. He was still standing, leaning over her and giving her an irritated look.  
  
"What do I want? I want you to get up and get moving. We're wasting time waiting for you to wake up." He kept talking, but to Kagome turned into 'blah blah blah and more blah'  
  
She sat there listening to his gibberish for a bit then shook herself out of her state. "You know, now you're the one wasting time. If you would let me up to get dressed then we could leave.  
  
He gave her a glare then walked away.

* * *

"Well, we have a surprising turn of events, now, don't we? The little miko has become quite powerful. This could be a problem, but it could also be amusing."  
  
Ever since he felt her power surge on the night of the new moon, Naraku had been using Kanna's mirror to spy on her. He had seen her landmine attack and was now prepared for it.  
  
But perhaps most importantly, he had heard her conversation with the group on how her attacks could be used against any one, even her.  
  
"Wouldn't it be lovely to she her broken expression when she realized her attack killed her friends? Yes, I would enjoy that immensely."  
  
Naraku had his trap set; now he just needed to wait for them to retrieve the last remaining shard. He would have his infinite power. He would have his tainted jewel, and he would take much pleasure from the pain and anguish he cause upon others to taint it.  
  
Around the corner, Kagura listened to his monologue. 'I can't let him complete the jewel. I want my freedom, and that will never happen if he becomes that powerful. I'd never be able to defeat him then. I'll forever be his slave if I don't do something, or worse, he'll assimilate me into his body. Never! This must not come to pass.'  
  
Back in the room with Naraku, he quiets himself. He knows Kagura is outside. 'What are you planning, wind witch? She cannot be trusted.'

* * *

Sesshoumaru was going to rend someone limb from limb when he found out who was behind this. There were three shipments of supplies which had been late arriving. He ordered all his supplies himself. He did not trust any one so much as to put his household in other hands.  
  
Food from vessels, weapons for his men, material for garments, tools for maintaining the fortress, everything was ordered and catalogued by him. It was a bothersome task, but he did not allow anyone this power over him.  
  
The person who catalogued these items had power over the occupants here. Food could easily be tainted, weapons taken, expensive material replaced with low quality fabric, the possibilities increased with the amount of supplies he ordered.  
  
Even though he personally handled these mundane tasks, some one still managed to tamper with everything.  
  
Shipments were late. Things were missing, weapons mainly. Items rearranged. Although, nothing of great importance was tampered with, Sesshoumaru seethed.  
  
Shipments were minor, but he was no fool. He was a general, and he recognized the beginnings of dissention among the ranks.  
  
Someone was getting a bit too greedy for their health, and they had help. Some of his servants must be involved if the shipments were being tampered with. Servants were easily replaced, but servants had little intelligence. Someone had to be behind this, and he would find out whom. They would pay for their treason.  
  
His brain quickly calculated possible suspects. The Western Lands were peaceful now, but his fighters continued to train as scheduled to maintain their skills.  
  
None really stayed constantly at the castle. Men would come to stay for a week every three moon cycles for fierce training then leave to return to their life. A rotation was set of which troops were present. At any time there was at lease one hundred men staying one the grounds in a separate part of the palace, but again, no one was here consistently enough to start a rebellion.  
  
His normally stoic façade contained an evil smirk as he walked down a hallway. He already had a trap set in his mind. Now he just needed to play ignorant and wait for them to fall into the noose that was at this very moment tightening around their necks.  
  
Servants scattered and feared for their lives as they saw the taiyoukai with his evil expression approaching them in the hallway, but he paid them no notice. He needed to prepare his trap.

* * *

Night again, one uneventful day of walking had passed. Though Kagome really wasn't sure where they were going. She had yet to solve the puzzle of the last shard, but she didn't have to tell the irritable hanyou about her quandary.  
  
She had just begun to collect the dishes after supper when one of Kikyou's insect demons circled over head. Inuyasha snapped his head in the direction it was headed. Without a word he stood and left.  
  
Kagome tried not to look distraught, but she knew everyone could tell. She had such a hard time trying to keep her feelings towards him at just a friendship, but that damn affection line kept turning pink when she wasn't paying attention.  
  
Even as a friend, though, she was worried. What if Kikyou tried to drag him into hell with her again? She battled with her inner self until she reached a decision.  
  
Standing, she looked at Sango. "I have to make sure she won't trick him into following her into hell." The expression in her eyes clearly told Sango and Miroku that she did not want to go, that she dreaded what see would see. Kagome saw pity radiating from shining eyes.  
  
With a pained expression she turned and walked in the direction Inuyasha went.  
  
When she was within hearing distance she stopped. She wouldn't interrupt if they were having a lover's moment, but Kagome wanted to be able to protect him as he did her.  
  
Inuyasha's voice broke through the trees, "But why, Kikyou? Do you hate me that much?"  
  
"Do not forget, Inuyasha, your life belongs to me. I will not allow your death at the hands of Naraku."  
  
"But that still doesn't answer my question. Why did you give him the jewel fragment?"  
  
"It will lead to his downfall." She replied with a bored expression. She was standing a few feet in front of him.  
  
Silence blanketed the couple for a moment. Then Inuyasha's gaze softened and hw approached her. "Do you still care for me? Are you capable of such feeling?" He asked tenderly.  
  
Kikyou said nothing as he wrapped his arms around her. Their eyes met and held gazes. Inuyasha closed his eyes and leaned closer to her.  
  
Kagome could see his actions through the brush. 'Ok, that's enough. I can't watch this anymore. I feel like a peeping tom.'  
  
She turned to leave. She felt nothing. No anger, no betrayal, no pain present at all. Numb. That's what she was; numbness overtook her.  
  
She was walking, but it did not register to her senses. The underbrush scratched her legs, but she knew nothing of it.  
  
About halfway to the campsite, she felt something. She stopped, unable to breathe. Suffocation, that's what she felt. No air reached her lungs; something was crushing her. Panicked she frantically looked around her, but there was nothing there. Mystical senses spread out, but she couldn't sense anything near her. Then what was attacking her?  
  
She tried to scream, but not even a strangled cry passed parted lips. Her hands reached to her throat. She tried to overcome the compressing force. She gathered her power around her, but she couldn't control it. The power slipped through her grasp. Vaguely, she remembered a noise registering in her ears. Then there was only darkness.

* * *

Inuyasha closed his eyes and leaned forward. He claimed her lips in a timid kiss. Kikyou did not reject his approach, but she did not respond at first.  
  
When he felt her lips move against his, the timid kiss gained passion. It became fluid, and Inuyasha moved to deepen the kiss. Kikyou's hands came to rest on his hips.  
  
Just then, Inuyasha felt something. What he wasn't sure, but it broke through the hazy dream in which he was engulfed. He gently pulled away from her. His eyes danced with excitement over his love's returned affection, but he was worried about that feeling. His instincts were seldom wrong.  
  
Kikyou could see worry and doubt in his eyes. She wanted to return his love, but she felt so free without its restraining chains. She wanted her freedom also. She slipped. She had let him coax her into having passion once more, but seeing his expression of doubt hardened her heart once again. Turning a bored look on him, she silently called her soul bearers to carry her away.  
  
He watched her go. She looked immortal in the moonlight with the breeze sifting through midnight tresses. The demons silky bodies seemed to barely touch her, as if she was weightless. They appeared to caress and not carry her. That image was stained into his memory. That's how he wanted to remember his former love, a wistful look on a heavenly face surrounded by the night sky.  
  
He sighed deeply and tuned to leave when he caught Kagome's scent. 'Oh no, not again. Why does this always happen?' His surreal experience dashed as he anticipated an argument and hurt feelings coming from the fragile girl he traveled with.  
  
He began to walk towards her scent. 'For some reason her scent is really strong right here...' "Oomph!!" He tripped and barely saved his nose from colliding with the ground. He turned to figure out what had caused him to stumble; Kagome's limp form was sprawled across the ground.  
  
"KAGOME!" Inuyasha crawled over to her. He listened for her heartbeat, anxiety eased when he heard the unsteady thumping in her chest.  
  
For a second he was scared that Kikyou had taken the other part of Kagome's soul, but her life proved that assumption wrong.  
  
He didn't smell blood. What happened? Then he noticed that she wasn't breathing.  
  
'Kami, what do I do?' He reached for her, straightened her body to lay flat on her back. He opened her mouth to make sure nothing was stopping her air flow. Nothing.  
  
'Then what's happening to her?'

* * *

Inky blackness surrounded her. 'What? Where am I?'  
  
'You must fight, Kagome!' a voice called to her through the darkness. She did not recognize the voice, but it was familiar to her.  
  
The darkness faded. Brilliant light surrounded her. Different shades of light closed in on her. The light held no comfort. She held her arms out to each side as the light came close enough to touch. Again she felt the suffocating feeling, but this time she could she the cause. She steeled herself and fought to keep the light from closing in on her. It wasn't helping the light was getting closer to her body. She could not fight it any longer, she was tired.  
  
'No, don't give up!' the voice from earlier sounded urgent. Then more voices reached her ears.  
  
'When are you coming back home, dear?' 'Yeah, sis...I miss you.' 'Kagome, have I ever told you about the evil shrine shadows that haunted our sister shrine in Kyoto?'  
  
"Mom! Souta! Grandpa! Where are you?" Kagome found strength in them and began to push back the suffocating light.  
  
'Hey, Kag! Are you feeling better?' 'I got copies of all the notes you missed this week.' 'Hojo's been asking about you nonstop.' Three feminine voices called out to her.  
  
'Hey Higurashi! I brought you a compress for you illness.' "Hojo, Eri...I will come back! I WILL see you again."  
  
The light receded more.  
  
'Lady Kagome, you insult me...I was simply brushing the dirt off your backside.' 'You're like the sister I never had, Kagome.' 'Are you gonna let some stupid light kill you, feh, you're weaker than I thought.' 'Kagome, bring me some chocolate next time you go home!!'  
  
"Miroku, Sango, Inuyasha, Shippou" The light's brilliance faded a bit as it receded away from her extended arms.  
  
"I need you Kagome, do not leave me." The familiar voice called to her again. She still didn't know his identity, but she was never one to refuse someone who needed her.  
  
With one final burst of strength, the light faded completely leaving her in darkness again, but this darkness held her. It comforted her as a mother's embrace would.  
  
She could breathe again. She opened her eyes and looked up into the worried face of her companions.  
  
Her breathing was still ragged. She struggled to smile at them in attempts to reassure them. She still did not have the composure to speak.  
  
"Are you ok, Kagome?" whined a frightened Shippou as he timidly put his hand on her shoulder. She smiled slightly and nodded.  
  
Kagome managed to spit out "tired." It was very quiet, Miroku and Sango probably did not even notice, but Inuyasha heard it clearly.  
  
He reached over to gather her up into his arms.  
  
Then she felt it, that familiar twinge. Everything clicked into place: very far away, but so near she could almost touch it. It is on a different plane, but there is a shortcut. She gasped.  
  
Inuyasha heard her gasp and gave her a curious look. Their eyes met.  
  
"The last shard...your father's grave!" she squeaked out, then passed out from mental fatigue.

* * *

There you go, another chapter done. Man, I was so close to updating on the weekend. TWO MINUTES!! I blame the pineapple. Damn is juicy sweetness for tempting me to take a break!! Oh well. I had three finals this weekend...forgive me for not being prompt with the update, but hey...only one final left then I'll be free for two weeks. So I can prolly update more than just on the weekend for a BRIEF period. Not a whole lot of action in this chapter either, but I didn't want to break up the next sequence so I cut it out of this chapter.  
  
As always...Reviews are welcome and responded to in a (somewhat) quick fashion.  
  
Love to all, Syrinx 


	10. Plans and Explanations

Ok, here's the deal...I want to KINDA parallel what goes of in the original plot with this phase of the story! PROBLEM: (and I mean huge problem) Everything is drawn out and very complex, as is most in this anime, ( I mean come on...have you ever tried to explain this to some one that started late in the series...NOT GONNA HAPPEN...they'll never quite get it.) so this is gonna be twisted! Some people who are dead in the Takahashi's work aren't gonna die, some who should already be dead will die later...perhaps after the storyline. I'm gonna use different entrances and exits in different orders. I have a lot of things that aren't gonna go the way they should...SO NO FLAMES (on this aspect of the story) BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!  
  
Enchanted Orbs  
  
Chapter 10 Plans and Explanations  
  
Kagome is in a dreamscape trying to figure out what happened to her in the forest. She is standing in a meadow with nothing in sight with the exception of the trees at the edge of the clearing, several flowers surrounding her, and the silhouette of a castle or manor of some sort at a great distance from her. The wind flows through her hair, and she has a distraught look on her face.  
  
"That light, what happened? It attacked me. Why?" She bit her lip as she concentrated on was happened. "Well, the darkness was comforting me both before and after the light attacked me. I'm not turning into a dark miko am I? No, that couldn't be it. I haven't had any evil thoughts or intentions. The darkness is, most likely, not symbolic, just an absence of light. Well, what was the light? It felt familiar and threatening at the same time. I knew, instinctively not to let it consume me, but it tried."  
  
The wind picked up, and the trees swayed. Kagome's hair swept in front of her face as she closed her eyes.  
  
"My power. The light that attacked me, I think it was a manifestation of the power within me. Does that mean I'm in danger from my own power, and what triggered it? I hadn't used my power too recently. Maybe not using the power will cause...no that doesn't sound right. What happened before...I can't remember."  
  
"Rest, Kagome." A familiar voice calls to her across the field.  
  
Kagome turns to see who called to her, but as she sees the silhouette of the person, darkness falls over her vision and she enters a dreamless slumber.

* * *

### Sango looked down at her best friend and let out a troubled sigh. She sat on Kagome's sleeping bag with the unconscious miko resting her head in her lap. Sango was running her fingers through Kagome's hair much as a mother would hoping against hope that was well.  
  
Shippou was crouched next to Sango's leg and was rubbing Kagome's back with a shaking paw and unshed tears glistening in his eyes.  
  
Kagome's revelation on the last shard had everyone a bit uneasy. A tense silence hung over the campsite until Inuyasha's frustration found a vent to escape through.  
  
"Arrrhh, it doesn't make sense. It can't be there. How can a shard pass onto another plane? Plus, Kagome's already been there, and she didn't sense it."  
  
"Um, Inuyasha, how did you get to your father's grave the first time?" Miroku asked in a quiet, contemplative voice.  
  
"Sesshoumaru ripped it out of my eye."  
  
"What!!" Sango and Miroku asked simultaneously as Kirara and Shippou snap their heads to look at the hanyou.  
  
"The Black Pearl, which held my father's grave, or at least a portal to it, was hidden in the black of my eye. Sesshoumaru figured out where it was and pulled it out. It hurt like a bitch."  
  
Again the monk voiced his concern, "Can we use the pearl again?"  
  
"No. After we left the gravesite, the pearl disappeared. I don't know how, but...OUCH!"  
  
Inuyasha slapped the side of his neck only to pull away a flattened Myouga.  
  
"Ah, Master Inuyasha, I've missed your blood."  
  
"Feh, what do you want Myouga?"  
  
"I heard a rumor about a new power that arisen in this area, I came to investigate it."  
  
"Like what kind of power?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
"It is said to be a purification-based energy. If it is then the strength of it is unrivaled by any miko living."  
  
"Yep, she's right there." Inuyasha says in a bored voice as he points to the sleeping figure of Kagome.  
  
Myouga does a double take as he realizes Kagome is the one Inuyasha is speaking of; he hops over to the sleeping girl. As Sango watches, Myouga hops unto Kagome's sleeping figure.  
  
Kagome's arm becomes animated as she slaps the spot Myouga decided to taste. Her eyes open, and she glares at the flattened flea.  
  
Myouga's body pops back into a three dimensional form as he speaks. "What a rush. Yes, I can taste a strong energy running through her veins."  
  
Sango and Shippou immediately start fussing over the slightly sleepy girl.  
  
"I'm fine, I'm fine. I just passed out is all." Kagome comforts her worried friends and gives them a small smile.  
  
"Hey Myouga, we need to talk. We think the last shard is in my father's grave. How do we get there?"  
  
"That's not probable Master Inuyasha. I don't believe a piece of the Shikon no Tama would transcend planes."  
  
"But it is possible, right? Inuyasha and I fought the Noh mask that had a jewel shard in it, and the mask was in my era. If that shard could be in my time, then its not too hard to believe that the last piece could be at the gravesite." Kagome said as her mind lost the post sleep fog.  
  
"I didn't say it was impossible."  
  
"Kagome, if you and Inuyasha have been there before, why didn't you sense it then?" Miroku asked.  
  
"Well, it was probably buried in the many skeletons. Plus, I wasn't very good at sensing the shards then. My ability progressed as with time. The gravesite was very early in my time with Inuyasha."  
  
"Well, how do we get there." Inuyasha asked impatiently.  
  
"The Black Pearl was the original transport, but it was only given enough energy to transport you to and from the site. It has completed that job, so using it again is not an option unless you can...no." Myouga drifts off thinking.  
  
"What Myouga?" Sango prods.  
  
"Well, the maker of the pearl, Housenki. He was a friend of your father's who rears many kinds of jewels, and those jewels one by one, become the entrance leading to the graveyard. He spent years creating the pearl hidden in your eye. If you don't want to wait that long, maybe he can supply the original pearl with enough energy to again transport you."  
  
"So where do we find this Housenki?"

* * *

_At the home of Housenki  
_  
The gang stands in front of a lake. The water starts swirling and bubbling. A huge clam shell rises from the water. There is a small gap in the shell and eyes can be seen looking at them from the gap.  
  
A voice calls from the shell. "Who's there?"  
  
Myouga speaks up, "Housenki, its me Myouga."  
  
"Housenki is my father, and he is dead. Why have you come?"  
  
"Master Inuyasha is seeking entrance to his father's gravesite again. The Black Pearl you created has been drained of power. Do you have another jewel that can be used?"  
  
_A bit later_...The gang is in the shell with the Housenki's son  
  
"Lord Myouga, I have no jewels that could be used for the purpose you've asked, and to make another would take about fifty years."  
  
"WHAT?!? We don't have that kinda time." Inuyasha rather rudely points out.  
  
"I may be able to give the pearl more energy so that you may be able to seek entrance again; however, with as many as you have with you, I doubt I could give it enough to get you back. You would have to either split up, or take another exit."  
  
Kagome speaks up in a hurried voice "Well, we can't split up, so how else do we get out?"  
  
"The only way out is the only way in. The gateway is in the mountains in the Country of Fire. That gateway is there to keep the living out and the dead in, but I doubt gatekeepers will just let you walk out."  
  
"Feh, then I'll just have to cut them down."  
  
Within a few hours, Housenki had managed to 'rediscover' the Black Pearl hidden in Inuyasha's eye, recharge it, and open the portal for the gang.  
  
Everyone's eyes are glued to the crackling black portal.

* * *

[[[A/N: For all you experts in the Inuyasha series that have seen/read every episode/manga. In this fic, there is no Hakudoushi!! That is just too complicated for me to explain since I'm not rewriting the series. The whole 'getting into the underworld' plot is just too long and drawn out for me, especially since this is much more indepth than I wanted to go in the first place. It just kinda happened. SO...what this means is: no medusa-like light, no Princess Abi, no River of Blood, nothing. We can assume Naraku used that pathway if you wish. I am not gonna go into detail on that. BUT the gateway will be shown by another (if you've read the manga, you know who it is)]]]

* * *

### "Lord Sesshoumaru! Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken calls as he races down the hallway to find his master.  
  
"Yes, Jaken I know." The taiyoukai states as Jaken rounds the corner narrowly avoiding the legs of his master as his slides to a stop.  
  
"but..."  
  
"Yes, I know that Kagura is here. I am on my way to meet her. I do not care to rush for the likes of her." Sesshoumaru interrupts in his bored tone.  
  
_Outside of his fortress_  
  
Kagura is floating in the air on her feather in front of Sesshoumaru. Her arms are crossed in front of her body, and she has a haughty smile on her face. No matter the confident face she is holding, she stays on her feather, ready to take flight at any instant.  
  
"Why have you come?"  
  
"I have some information that you may find interesting."  
  
"Speak." His face is still completely unreadable.  
  
"The last shard of the Shikon no Tama has been hidden in your father's grave."  
  
"I have no concern for that trinket."  
  
"This I know; however, Naraku and Inuyasha both know this and are making their way there. Do you honestly believe they will leave gravesite undamaged?  
  
Sesshoumaru retains his stoic façade; however, inside his rage is building. 'How dare they!?! They will NOT desecrate my father's resting place.'  
  
"I may have been wrong in my assumption. Maybe you care not about your father's final place of rest, but if I wasn't, the entrance to that plane is in the mountains of the Country of Fire." She holds out her fan about to create a gust of wind to take her away, when a masculine voice stops her.  
  
"Why have you brought this to my attention? What does this do for you?" Sesshoumaru's suspicions are voiced by his questions.  
  
"Anything to help Naraku find his own destruction," and with that Kagura was gone.

* * *

###SORRY!! I know this chapter is shorter, and LATE, and I really feel bad about it. Real life interrupts sometimes, in other words (shit happens). Because I feel guilty about the shortness, and the lateness, I will post the Inu no Taishou (leader of the dogs) grave scene later this week. I will post chapter 11 pretty quick. You have my word. Sorry again. 


	11. 11A The Gravesite Skirmish

Enchanted Orbs  
  
Chapter 11A The Gravesite Skirmish

* * *

They fell through the air after passing through the portal, only to land (none too softly) on skeletal birds. Inuyasha, Shippou, and Kagome are on one, and Sango, Miroku, and Kirara on another. The birds taxied the gang towards the huge skeleton in the distance.  
  
Miroku and Sango were both a little unsettled because of the brief free fall and abrupt landing on flying skeletons, but Inuyasha and Kagome act as if nothing was wrong, so they hold their silence.  
  
Kagome turns towards the bird slightly behind her. "The big skeleton ahead of us is Inutaisho's. The birds are taking us there."  
  
(A/N: the manga doesn't give Sess and Inu's father a name, it only refers to him as "Inu no Taisho" or leader of the dogs. I'm going to use this as his name for my own comfort)  
  
As Kagome's back is turned, bluish spears that look like large shards of the Shikon, start to fly through the air. Their aim is obviously at the intruders.  
  
Inuyasha grabs Kagome around the waist and jumps off the bird, as a spear rips through the bird.  
  
Kirara jumps off Sango and transforms into her battle form in midair. Sango and Miroku quickly jump onto the firecat as the blue crystals whiz past them.  
  
Inuyasha lands on another bird with Kagome. They are close to Inutaisho, but high in the air. The ground is not visible to them because of a thick mist, but it is obvious that the ground is very far away.  
  
The spears are still aimed at them. Inuyasha pulls the Tetsusaiga and blocks one of the spears. With a clang the spear is stopped and clatters down into the mist.  
  
Kagome tries to erect a barrier around everyone to prevent more spears from reaching them, but she can't concentrate well enough to create multiple portable barriers. The birds' mobility prevent her from doing so.  
  
Myouga emerges from Inuyasha's hair and hops onto his shoulder. Taking one look at the offending spears, he exclaims, "Th-This is diamond!!"  
  
"Diamond?" Kagome asks  
  
"The hardest jewel in the world, these spears are made out of diamond!" Myouga reaffirms.  
  
"I don't like this, they are coming from dad's grave." 'Dammit, what's going on?' Inuyasha thinks.  
  
"Inuyasha, I can sense a fragment in your father's grave."  
  
The birds fly closer to the remains of Inutaisho.

* * *

With Sesshoumaru  
  
Sesshoumaru and Jaken approach the cave that holds the entrance to the boundary world. Kagura is following them in the shadows. Although she is trying to remain hidden, the demon lord is well aware of her presence.  
  
At the end of the cave is a huge gate with a chain draped across it. Two stone statues are standing beside the gates, for the most part, they are humanoid in form. Both statues have very large weapons.  
  
Sesshoumaru looks up at the gateway, then to the stone guardians.  
  
A ghostly voice echoes through the cavern, "Do you want to pass?"  
  
Sesshoumaru doesn't answer as his eyes study the stone sentinels.  
  
"Only the dead can pass this gateway." One of the guards says.  
  
"Those who wish to pass will become dead by our hands." Spoken by the other.  
  
Sesshoumaru smiles slightly. "Heh, interesting."  
  
The guards move forward to strike. Sesshoumaru easily dodges, and their weapons hit only ground.  
  
Toukijin is drawn, and it strikes the guardians. The statues fall to the ground.  
  
Jaken is clinging to Sesshoumaru's tail, as he speaks. "Got them, just what you'd expect from Sesshoumaru-sama."  
  
(A/N: yes I know this sounds WAY OOC, but this is straight from the manga...also: YEA! It really is a tail not a pelt...well, according to my translator, that is!!)  
  
Jaken looks up in shock as the guards stand. "No, no way."  
  
"Futile...we cannot be slain by a sword of this world, the world of the living." A sentinel speaks up.  
  
A pulse of energy is released by the Tenseiga. Sesshoumaru looks down to his side. 'Tenseiga'  
  
"Humph, so that's it." Sesshoumaru says with a slight smirk. He stabs Toukijin into the ground and draws Tenseiga. 'The Tenseiga can cut them.'  
  
The guards see the newly drawn sword, a shocked expression appears on both. The taiyoukai can hear them audibly swallow.  
  
The gateway begins to open. Sesshoumaru looks on with a bored expression. The guards begin to kneel to him.  
  
"You may pass, the one who carries a sword from the next world."  
  
The other guard continues, "That sword can cut those not of this world. Naturally we can be cut by it as well."  
  
Sesshoumaru sheathes Tenseiga. "You won't struggle futilely... huh. How wise." With that, he turns and enters the open gateway.

* * *

Inside the Graveyard  
  
Inuyasha and the others reach Inutaisho's remains. Many skeletal birds fly through the air surrounding Inutaisho's remains.  
  
A voice echoes around them, "You lot...aren't dead, are you..."  
  
The gang look to where the voice cam from; there appears to be a patch on the breastplate above them.  
  
The bluish patch has a skull in the middle, with many long sharp pieces radiating out from it that look just like the spears that have been thrown.  
  
The youkai speaks, "After the Shikon fragment... Grave robbers huh...?"  
  
Kagome gets a surprised look on her face, "What?"  
  
"Who the hell are you?" Inuyasha demands angrily; he squints at the youkai in front of them. "What the heck's with you, sticking yourself to my dad's belly just as you please?"  
  
Kagome, Sango, and Miroku stay silent as Inuyasha challenges the youkai with his gaze.  
  
The crystals surrounding the skull align facing forwards, and the skull moves closer to them, emerging out of the breastplate. The group can now tell how huge the skull is. It is about one meter across.  
  
"Your... father...? You're saying...you are the son of the leader of the dogs huh?"  
  
A dull glowing light appears in each eye socket as if trying to see into Inuyasha's soul to demand the truth.  
  
Myouga begins jumping up and down on Inuyasha's shoulder as he recognizes the youkai in front of them. "Housenki! You're Housenki aren't you!? It's me, Myouga."  
  
"Housenki..." Sango whispers, shocked.  
  
"He's the one that first created the Black Pearl for Inuyasha..." Miroku continues quietly.  
  
"Myouga... huh. So then this is his son, Inuyasha." Housenki continues to gaze at Inuyasha.  
  
"That's right. Master Inuyasha isn't your enemy." Myouga tries to soothe the dangerous youaki.  
  
"It certainly is the case that I created the Black Pearl for Inuyasha at his father's request... However Inuyasha, you must have already used the Black Pearl to come to this world, so the Black Pearl's purpose is over, and it's vanished. There is no reason why you can be allowed to come to this place of the dead again...No matter who you are!!"  
  
'The Shikon fragment...I can see it.' Kagome begins to looks at Housenki. "Why did you bring the Shikon fragment here?"  
  
"So you do have one after all. Hand it over before you get hurt!" Inuyasha demands angrily.  
  
"I won't hand it over. The reason I brought it to this place of the dead was because of the intent of the Shikon fragment."  
  
Everyone gets a surprised look on their faces. 'The fragment's intent?'  
  
"While I was still in the world of the living, around the time when I felt my life was going to run out, I got my hands on a Shikon fragment. The fragment spoke, telling me not let the Shikon no Tama be complete again. Most of the Shikon fragments were in the hands on an evil being, and were corrupted. If it became combined with the others, the one I have would be corrupted as well."  
  
Everyone looks with bewildered expressions, as Housenki continues.  
  
"Which is exactly why, the Shikon fragment's wish was to come with me to a place where the evil being couldn't reach, namely the youkai graveyard."  
  
Inuyasha no longer looks angry, and everyone appears a bit more subdued.  
  
"Master Inuyasha, it's best to give up on this." Myouga begins, and Inuyasha turns his head to face him. "Leave the fragment to Housenki."  
  
"Huh? What are you driveling on about, Myouga?"  
  
Housenki raises his voice as he emerges more from Inutaisho's breastplate. The shards surrounding him have grown much, much larger, to the point that it appears like he almost has arms.  
  
"Whoever tries to come, I won't hand it over. Against you lot, I'll show no mercy." The shards move to strike Inuyasha, but he jumps to safety.  
  
"W-wait, Housenki! We can talk this over..." Myouga pleads.  
  
"Kagome don't move from there!" Inuyasha yells as he draws the Tetsusaiga  
  
He blocks the approaching shards with his blade as he yells, "You bastard! Get a fucking clue as to who your friends and enemies are!"  
  
Inuyasha lunges forward and strikes Housenki's crystal 'arms' with the Tetsusaiga. He looks shocked when there is no impression that the blade struck its target. Housenki is completely unharmed.  
  
"That won't work, Inuyasha." Myouga calls out to the hanyou. "Housenki's arm is a cluster of hard diamond."  
  
"Myouga, when did you get here?" Kagome asks the flea who is now occupying her shoulder.  
  
As Inuyasha continues his useless attempts at inflicting damage upon the diamond youkai, crystal shards appear in Housenki's mouth.  
  
The shards blast out of his mouth and fly through the air towards his assaulter.  
  
Inuyasha is caught offguard with the attack, but manages to dodge last minute.  
  
"How violent... No chance to reason with him" Miroku addresses Sango and Kagome next to him.  
  
A pulse of energy attracts Kagome's attention to the Shikon fragment. "What?" She squints her eyes to get a better perception, then her eyes widen in a mixture of surprise and fear.  
  
"Be careful Inuyasha. Housenki's Shikon fragment has gone black." She calls out to him when she can see that the fragment has become corrupted.  
  
Inuyasha looks up in surprise.  
  
"What's going on!?" Sango demands. Miroku begins to think out loud. "The Shikon fragment should be good or bad depending upon the owner's heart, but...based on the earlier conversation with Housenki, I don't think he brought the Shikon fragment here for his own sake. Which means..."  
  
Kagome looks around as the graveyard becomes dark and menacing.  
  
"I can feel corrupted Shikon fragments. With that size...It's Naraku's." Kagome says quietly.  
  
Miroku looks over at Kagome, while Sango is looking at Housenki.  
  
"It's the influence of Naraku's Shikon fragments, huh? Naraku can taint Housenki's fragment with his own piece of the jewel and his own evil presence." Sango offers as an explanation.  
  
"Lady Kagome, where is Naraku!?"  
  
Kagome looks around. "I can't tell. It's like it's everywhere...I can't tell what direction.  
  
"Did you hear that, eh Housenki? If you keep carrying the fragment like that your soul will be eaten by the corrupted fragment. Let go of it right now." Inuyasha shouts at his opponent.  
  
Housenki furrows his brow and glares at Inuyasha, getting even more menacing.  
  
"Nonsense. This measly amount of corruption is not enough to make me lose myself." It is obvious that Housenki is starting to struggle with something when his voice becomes strangled "I won't... hand it... to... anyone..."  
  
"Oh no." Kagome gasps at she realizes Housenki is losing to the corrupted jewel fragment.  
  
Inuyasha is still facing off against Housenki. "Hey, Housenki, before your soul is entirely eaten by the Shikon fragment, I'll cut it out."  
  
The diamond shards around Housenki are darkening. "You just try to take it."  
  
Sango looks apprehensive as she states, "His whole body is blackening."  
  
"The corruption from the fragment must be spreading." Mikoku answers her.  
  
"Master Inuyasha, please hold back! Housenki is a friend of your father. He's not a bad youkai." Myouga calls from Kagome's shoulder.  
  
"If he was an opponent I could beat by holding back, then I would." Inuyasha calls back in answer.  
  
He jumps into the air above Housenki, lands on a nearby skeletal birds flying around Inutaisho, and swings down the Tetsusaiga.  
  
"Kaze no Kizu!" (Cutting Wind)  
  
The blast from Inuyasha's attack wraps around Housenki, who covers head head in defense.  
  
Inuyasha looks down at where Housenki is from above, some crystal shards can just be seen, but the area is covered with dust.  
  
'Did I get him?'  
  
There's a flash of light from where the shards are, but everything is still mostly hidden by the dust.  
  
Housenki tries to strike Inuyasha, and rips apart the skeletal bird he was on, but Inuyasha jumps away in time. Housenki doesn't seem to be harmed at all.  
  
Kagome looks worried. "Inuyasha."  
  
"The Cutting Wind had no effect!?" Sango declares in shock.  
  
Inuyasha lands on part of Housenki's arm.  
  
Housenki tries to trap Inuyasha with his other arm, but he jumps inwards.  
  
Inuyasha begins running along the arm towards Housenki's head.  
  
'I've got to get near the fragment!'  
  
A bunch of crystals appear in Housenki's mouth, ready to fire. Inuyasha blocks the volley with the help of Tetsusaiga.  
  
Sango begins to help Inuyasha and throws her boomerang. "Hiraikotsu!"  
  
The boomerang knocks many of the shards to side, helping Inuyasha.  
  
'We gotta stop Housenki's attacks.' Kagome sees the dark glow of the corrupted fragment coming from near his head, inside his crystal body. She urges her bird towards the dark fragment.  
  
'That's right, if I can purify that fragment...' Kagome draws an arrow and aims at the fragment. 'With my arrows I can probably...'  
  
Kagome fires an arrow which is surrounded by a glowing trail.  
  
The arrow strikes Housenki behind the neck, where the fragment is located.  
  
Inuyasha looks up in time to see Kagomes glowing arrow strike the shard.  
  
"I, I hit it."  
  
Everyone watches Housenki; some small fragments of the crystal shards surrounding him start to fall down off him.  
  
"A futile... effort..." He struggles to talk.  
  
"Eh...!?" Kagome asks with a surprised look.  
  
She can see that the fragment in Housenki's neck is still glowing darkly.  
  
"It wasn't... purified!?"  
  
"The arrow couldn't reach the fragment." Sango states a bit worried.  
  
"That body... is like armour." Miroku continues.  
  
"It's not only that! Housenki is a Greater Youkai who lived to a great age. The spiritual power in Kagome's arrows is losing to his energy." Myouga explains.  
  
Kagome starts to take an arrow out from the quiver on her back.  
  
Meanwhile, Housenki is preparing another mouth blast of shards.  
  
Inuyasha dodges under the volley of the deadly spears. "Ugh."  
  
Housenki raises a group of shards over his body near his head where the fragment is located.  
  
'He's covering over... the place where Kagome's arrow struck!?' Inuyasha muses.  
  
"Kagome, do another... Fire one of your arrows." Inuyasha shouts to her.  
  
"Eh? But..."  
  
"Just do it!" He exclaims impatiently  
  
Kagome readies another arrow. "O-okay."  
  
'Kagome's arrow... didn't reach the fragment itself, but, it's not like it had no effect.' Inuyasha plots as he dashes towards the protected jewel shard.  
  
Kagome's arrow strikes Housenki's "roof" of shards. The diamond shards begin to sizzle; Inuyasha jumps above them.  
  
'If I strike here!!' Inuyasha thinks as he swings the Tetsusaiga down powerfully. "Kaze no Kizu!" (Cutting Wind)  
  
The blast strikes the roof of shards, ripping them apart.  
  
Kagome, Sango and Miroku look on, with wind blowing around them.  
  
"They broke!" Kagome exclaims.  
  
"All-right!" 'Now I can get the fragment...' but before Inuyasha could make good on his claim...  
  
"You... bunch of... fools..." Housenki strikes Inuyasha powerfully with an arm.  
  
Inuyasha flies back in pain as blood trails down his face; he begins to fall back towards. The mist engulfs him, and he disappears from sight.  
  
"Inuyasha!" Screeches Kagome.  
  
"In the end, both I... and you lot...are just being manipulated... by the black jewel..."  
  
"Inuyasha..." Kagome says quietly, looking longingly into the mist below her.  
  
"So, Inuyasha's dead, huh? I saw everything." A sinister voice states as dark energy waves appear in the sky above them.  
  
A dark ball of swirling energy forms, and Naraku appears in the darkness.

* * *

(A/N: Don't Kill me, the cliffy won't last long. This is just the first part of Chapter eleven. The second part will be posted either this evening or tomorrow morning. Sorry, but this is getting way too long.) Til then, Syrinx. 


	12. 11B Tentative Allies

Enchanted Orbs  
  
Chapter 11B Tentative Allies

* * *

Kagome looks on in horror as Inuyasha's body disappears in the mist below her. Her head snaps up as she glares at a smiling Naraku.  
  
Naraku is surrounded by an ominous barrier that is almost indestructible.  
  
Housenki speaks up, "So it is you...the bastard with the black jewel."  
  
Naraku still retains his smile. "Housenki, it seems you've weakened a lot."  
  
At this comment, a crystal arm reaches out and crashes into the barrier. The arm punches right through Naraku's barrier, and leaves a hole in his chest.  
  
Kagome and the others look on in shock.  
  
Sango breaks the silence, "It went through both the barrier and Naraku!"  
  
Naraku is smiling once more. "I see. It seems you were a Greater Youkai when you were alive, and you still have the willpower to resist."  
  
Naraku's right arm starts to transform into tentacle-like appendages with razor sharp talons on the ends. The tentacles flash down towards Housenki in an attack in a fierce attack.  
  
The tentacles strike Housenki near his head, where the Shikon fragment is located. The tentacles begin to claw their way into Housenki, straining to reach the fragment.  
  
"Oh no! He's going to reach it. He'll take the Shikon fragment!"  
  
Kagome reaches into her quiver and draws an arrow. "I won't let you!" The arrow flies towards the tentacles attacking Housenki, ripping apart some of the tentacles.  
  
Due to Naraku's attack, the fragment suddenly goes completely black. Housenki's body follows the lead of the fragment and also turns wholly black.  
  
"What? The fragment has gone pitch black." Kagome states with wide eyes.  
  
At that moment, a volley of shards flies out from Housenki, heading straight towards Kagome.  
  
Kagome quickly erects a barrier to protect herself as Sango throws down her boomerang.  
  
"Hiraikotsu"  
  
"Lady Kagome!" Miroku cries out helplessly from a short distance away.  
  
The boomerang knocks away some of the shards, and the rest are deflected off the barrier.  
  
"The corruption from the fragment has spread throughout Housenki's body." Miroku observes after the threatening shards are knocked away.  
  
"It's all thanks to your efforts." Naraku replies with an evil grin. "The Shikon fragment covered by the diamond armor and Youkai energy was beyond even my ability to corrupt it."  
  
Kagome becomes angry when she realizes what he is saying. "You're saying it's because we damaged Housenki's body then!?"  
  
Naraku replies with a cold smile. "You damaged Housenki, and Housenki injured Inuyasha."  
  
Miroku and Sango get an annoyed look on their faces.  
  
"Everything went as he wanted it to."  
  
Naraku's tentacles are still buried within Housenki's body.  
  
"How... pathetic..." Housenki struggles to taunt the intruders.  
  
Naraku no longer has a smile, but now his face becomes serious. "The Shikon no Tama, wants to become one..."  
  
Suddenly, a brilliant flash of light appears from beneath Naraku and Housenki, and a blast of energy rushes past them.  
  
Miroku, Sango and Kagome look on in surprise.  
  
Miroku recognizes the energy. "The Cutting Wind!?"  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouts.  
  
All of Naraku's tentacles that were outside of his barrier are sliced off with the attack.  
  
Inuyasha comes up from below, riding on one of the skeletal birds. He gains altitude and is now facing Naraku. He has no major injuries, but he and his clothes are disheveled and roughed up.  
  
"Naraku!" He grows menacingly.  
  
Naraku does not seem phased. "Heh...So you survived, Inuyasha. Though considering your appearance, it looks like you were hurt by Housenki pretty badly.  
  
"Bah! You got hasty, Naraku. Getting cocky and appearing so fucking casually."  
  
Inuyasha holds out Tetsusaiga, and swings down, unleashing a lot of energy.  
  
"Say your fucking prayers!" He jabs as he tries to break through Naraku's barrier.  
  
Naraku's face breaks into a smile once again. Inuyasha swings the Tetsusaiga with a great deal of effort and force.  
  
Energy released from the blade rushes out to Naraku.  
  
Winds buffet around Kagome, Sango and Miroku; Sango calls out. "Inuyasha... do you think you succeeded?"  
  
Inuyasha looks on as the dust clear; a large dark ball can be seen.  
  
Naraku can be seen through the dark energy protecting him. He is unharmed. "You haven't grown at all Inuyasha. Don't you understand, yet, that against me, Tetsusaiga is of no use?" He taunts.  
  
"Damn." He tries again, and the Tetsusaiga swings down. "Shuttup! Kaze no Kizu!!"  
  
The blast wraps around Naraku's barrier, but Naraku gets a disappointed look on his face. "Futile."  
  
A crackling ball of energy appears from out of Naraku's barrier.  
  
Myouga, sitting on Kagome's shoulder, suddenly yells. "O-oh no! Everyone, get away from here! He plans to return the Cutting Wind."  
  
"Become ripped apart by the Cutting Wind you yourself released."  
  
A rush of wind comes out from the ball. Inuyasha doesn't dodge; he is facing down his own attack.  
  
'There's still one thing that I haven't tried.'  
  
Inuyasha jumps up and makes a circular motion with Tetsusaiga, unleashing a new blast.  
  
"Bakuryuuha!" (Explosive-style-destruction)  
  
A flash of energy appears, and the two blasts collide.  
  
For the first time since entering the boundary world, Naraku appears surprised. "The Cutting Wind, is being wrapped up by the youkai-energy and is returning!?"  
  
A torrent of tornados rushes out from Inuyasha, covering Naraku's barrier.  
  
"Did I get him!?" Inuyasha questions, but something appears behind him.  
  
A blur whizzes by him; it Housenki rushing through the air. Inuyasha gets gored and cut by Housenki's antlers.  
  
Naraku has used his tentacles to pull Housenki out of Inutaisho's breastplate. He used the youkai to spear Inuyasha as Housenki is being pulled towards the evil hanyou. Now Naraku is looking unharmed in his barrier. Inuyasha is lying on top of Housenki, weak and out of strength. The Tetsusaiga transforms back into its dormant state.  
  
Kagome becomes worried. "Inuyasha! The Bakuryuuha didn't work either!?"  
  
Inuyasha is stuck on Housenki's antlers, and blood drenches his clothes. A short distance away is Naraku, floating in the air with some tentacle like talons gripping Housenki.  
  
"Inuyasha, you've got no moves left."  
  
Inuyasha groans in pain, as Naraku smirks at his discomfort.  
  
"Your Tetsusaiga cannot cut me again."  
  
Inuyasha struggles to get up; the Tetsusaiga is still untransformed.  
  
"Bah, what the fuck are you talking about? This fight isn't over yet." He exclaims as he strains to stand.  
  
Behind Inuyasha, one of Naraku's tentacles is probing Housenki's body. The tentacle is reaching for black fragment in Housenki's back.  
  
Kagome calls out a warning. "He's trying to take the Shikon fragment."  
  
Sango throws her boomerang. "Hiraikotsu!" The weapon soars through the air and cuts Naraku's tentacle; it whizzes over Inuyasha's head.  
  
"Outside from the barrier, he can be cut..." Miroku observes, but celebrations are quickly ended when, from the end of the cut tentacle, a mass of black mist sprays out.  
  
Inuyasha edges away as mist spreads. "Wha! Miasma!"  
  
One of Naraku's tentacles flashes outwards again, and reaches for the fragment too quickly to be stopped. The fragment becomes free and is pulled away from Housenki.  
  
"I finally have my hands on it. The last of the Shikon fragments." Naraku states appearing quite pleased.  
  
Naraku isn't done yet; however, and throws Housenki at Inuyasha.  
  
Housenki slams into Inuyasha, and the both fall into the gap in the side of Inuyasha's father's skeleton.  
  
(A/N: This is where Housenki was holed up earlier, and where Sesshoumaru was knocked out by Inuyasha at the beginning of the series.)  
  
Naraku extends his tentacles. "I have no more business with you."  
  
Miroku reaches for his rosary and starts to unwrap his cursed hand. "I won't let you get away!"  
  
"Miroku don't..." Sango exclaims as she looks to Naraku.  
  
Naraku holds up the ringed ball nest that the Saimyoushou insects live in. He smirks at the frustrated monk.  
  
A bunch of insects emerge from the nest. Miroku looks on in surprise, and Sango looks warningly at Miroku.  
  
"The Saimyoushou."  
  
"Houshi, don't use the Air Rip." Sango warns with a pleading look.  
  
The Saimyoushou insects swirl around their master.  
  
"Go ahead and choose. You could die quickly by sucking up the insects' poison, or you can choose to live, for now, even if it means you have to wander hopelessly around this graveyard until your death."  
  
Kagome and the others look surprised.  
  
"What do you mean?" Miroku asks hesitantly.  
  
Naraku gives a knowing smile. "There is no possibility for you lot to return to the world of the living. The pearl you used is out of energy; you cannot leave."  
  
Inuyasha sits, with a shocked expression.  
  
"I told you this could happen. The possibility that we might not be able to return always existed." Myouga speaks up from Kagome's shoulder.  
  
"The pearl may not be an option, but if you can get out, we will find a way also." Miroku states in attempt to comfort both himself and his companions.  
  
"The only one who can return is me." Naraku taunts them while smiling.  
  
'I don't like it, that jerk Naraku looking so relaxed.' Inuyasha muses.  
  
"Naraku, you bastard, don't think you can run away." Inuyasha shouts up at him.  
  
Naraku holds up the last fragment. "Don't you get it, Inuyasha? It's already over!"  
  
Naraku glances to the side; there's a glint in the distance.  
  
A powerful blast slams into the side of Naraku's barrier.  
  
Naraku becomes unnerved as the others look on in surprise.  
  
Sesshoumaru appears floating in the air and holding Toukijin.  
  
"Sesshoumaru." Kagome murmurs.  
  
From inside his father's skeleton, Inuyasha looks on, surprised. "Wha...?"  
  
Sesshoumaru faces Naraku at short distance. Naraku adopts a slightly nervous expression.  
  
'This guy... how did he get here?' He muses. "Sesshoumaru, did you come running to save your little brother? Such a kind elder brother you are."  
  
Sesshoumaru does not bother to answer; he retains his ever present emotionless façade. His silver hair flutters over his shoulder as he turns his head to look at Inuyasha.  
  
Sesshoumaru looks longingly at his father's skeleton, then flies closer to the remains. He gains a wistful expression and gazes up Inutaisho. The only person Sesshoumaru seems to respect is his father.  
  
Silent respects are made briefly, and then his head snaps at Inuyasha emerging from the gap in Inutaisho's skeleton. Inuyasha has an uncertain expression.  
  
'Sesshoumaru...What the fuck is he doing here?'  
  
Faster than most could follow, Sesshoumaru moves, and is now right in front of Inuyasha. Uncertainty becomes slight fear, as Inuyasha realizes his half-brother's intent too late.  
  
Without any expression on his face, Sesshoumaru powerfully punches Inuyasha in the face.  
  
Inuyasha goes sliding back along the skulls on the floor, inside his father's skeleton.  
  
Inuyasha's face is now damaged and smudged with blood. He groans from the pain inflicted on his face.  
  
Kagome is now on the floor, running past Sesshoumaru. Miroku and Sango have come down as well, but are looking nervously at Sesshoumaru, and not moving past him.  
  
"You bastard, what the fuck are you doing?" Inuyasha demands angrily.  
  
Sesshoumaru glances back at Inuyasha. "You hanyou failure, damaging father's grave."  
  
Then the demon lord rises up into the air to face Naraku. "You scum."  
  
Naraku doesn't look insulted. He looks rather happy actually.  
  
Inuyasha and the others look on through the gap in the side of Inuyasha's father's skeleton. A noise comes from behind them  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome look back towards Housenki who is lying behind them still struggling.  
  
"Hey... kid...do you...have any power left to fight...?"

* * *

Sesshoumaru slashes with Toukijin, and two large blasts impact on Naraku's barrier. Naraku smiles slightly as his barrier wavers around him.  
  
"Humph... Inuyasha was easier to handle, but that is all you can manage." He mocks the demon lord.  
  
Sesshoumaru glares coldly, but does not verbally respond.  
  
Miroku and Sango look on from the gap in the side of Inuyasha's father's skeleton. Miroku has a worried look. 'Even Sesshoumaru's sword attack can't break Naraku's barrier.'

* * *

Inuyasha, Kagome and Shippou are standing close to where Housenki's large skull is laying on the ground inside the skeleton.  
  
Housenki speaks. "At this rate, before long the fragment will be absorbed into the polluted Shikon no Tama." "Yeah, I'm already well aware of that." Inuyasha snaps.  
  
"Before that happens, strike me."  
  
Both Inuyasha and Kagome open their eyes wide in shock  
  
"So that you can cut that Naraku person's barrier, you should cut me."  
  
Myouga begins bouncing along Kagome's shoulder. "Housenki, that is to say that you'll give your Youkai power to Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga?"  
  
'That's right, if you slay a strong Youkai with Tetsusaiga, it can gain new Youkai power, but...' Kagome's thoughts trail off as Inuyasha responds.  
  
"If I cut you... then what happens to you?"  
  
Humph...You would worry about others at a time like this? Besides... if you are not worthy of owning the fragment, you will have no chance of cutting me."  
  
Housenki's skull is becoming lighter in shade. It looks as though his skull is turning into a crystal.  
  
"Not only that, but... it is you who will lose your life in this place. Do you have that much courage huh...?"  
  
Housenki's body has now completely turned into crystal.  
  
Inuyasha looks at the youkai wearily. "Hearing that, I feel a little bit at ease."  
  
Kagome becomes worried as she thinks on what Housenki just said. 'Lose your life? What on earth?'  
  
Inuyasha turns to Kagome. "Move back, Kagome."  
  
He holds out the Tetsusaga, facing Housenki, and swings the blade down powerfully.  
  
Tetsusaiga strikes Housenki forcefully, and a blast of small fragments radiates out from Housenki at the struck point.  
  
Blood trails down from numerous shallow cuts received by the sharp fragmenst that flew past him.  
  
Miroku and the others look on in surprise. "Bits of diamond are shooting out!?"  
  
The group looks at the skull of Housenki; there is only a small crack where Tetsusaiga struck. Inuyasha deflates a bit.

* * *

Outside Sesshoumaru continues to attack Naraku.  
  
"Sesshoumaru, you want to cut me that much huh?" Naraku smiles at him; he extends some snake-like bodies out from behind him through the barrier. "Then I shall grant your wish."  
  
Three snake-like bodies with a mouth of sharp teeth at the end fly at the taiyoukai. Sesshoumaru swings Toukijin, and easily dispatches the offensive appendages. The ends of the snakes are ripped apart.  
  
Miasma blasts out from the ends of the snakes' ripped necks, heading for Sesshoumaru.  
  
Up in the air, the mist clears, and Sesshoumaru can be seen floating calmly in the air.  
  
"Humph...Did you expect that feeble miasma to affect this Sesshoumaru?"  
  
Kagome's attention has turned from Inuyasha and Housenki to the battle outside. She see the venomous gas swirling around Sesshoumaru, Sango, Miroku, Jaken, and Shippou. With a determined look, she reaches for an arrow. The miasma has no effect on her.  
  
"Get back. I'll purify the miasma."  
  
The fired arrow leaves a glowing streak through the miasma.  
  
"I... I can breath...? I, I'm saved..." Jaken wheezes.  
  
Naraku changes tactics at that point. Out of the cut ends of the snakes necks, come a bunch of thinner tentacles.  
  
"What'll you do, Sesshoumaru? Every time you cut me, miasma will gush out."  
  
Sesshoumaru is not phased by the statement.  
  
"Those in this place will eventually die out."  
  
Jaken and Shippou look up at this.  
  
Kagome retreats to her thoughts. 'I can't be of much help in the fighting, but I can at least protect everyone else. Sesshoumaru and Inuyash can fight without worrying about distractions.'  
  
Kagome creates a barrier around everyone except the brothers and Naraku. The miasma is no longer a threat to them.  
  
Sesshoumaru swings Toukijin, and the tentacles are ripped apart.  
  
Inuyasha turns and begins to run in front of Kagome.  
  
Naraku faces off against Sesshoumaru, with miasma drifting down below them.  
  
Inuyasha is standing in front of the barrier holding the Tetsusaiga in front of him.  
  
Housenki calls out to him. "Rather than strengthen your sword by cutting me, you think your companions more important? Is that because you're a damn Half-Youkai huh? Even if a mere Half-Youkai can gain my Youkai power, they wouldn't be able to use it well."  
  
Inuyasha turns back and shouts at Housenki. "In that case I don't need it. Though I dunno what kind of great power you have."  
  
Inuyasha swings down Tetsusaiga, unleashing a lot of power. 'Right now, I'll just do what I have to do.' "Kaze no Kizu!!" (Cutting Wind)  
  
The blast pushes back the miasma and snakes that have reached out past Sesshoumaru to Inuyasha and the group behind him.  
  
The Cutting Wind rushing up towards Naraku, but he dismisses the attack. "Even if you push back the tentacles and miasma with the Cutting Wind, it's no more than a temporary solution."  
  
Naraku gets a big shock when, laced among the Cutting Wind, is a shower of diamond shards. His barrier is ripped apart by the shards like a bubble.  
  
"Wha...! These are Housenki's diamond spears...?" Naraku contemplates in a flabbergasted mindset.  
  
The blast clears, and Naraku's barrier is completely gone. Naraku is unharmed.  
  
Jaken, Kagome and the rest look on in surprise. "Naraku's barrier was blown away."  
  
Inuyasha looks in shock at Tetsusaiga; the blade is now crystallized. He looks back at Housenki.  
  
"If you were driven by desire and had cared only for strengthening your sword the diamond fragments you were showered with would have taken your life." Housenki explains.  
  
The diamond fragments that injured Inuyasha earlier when striking Housenki pop out from where they'd pierced his body and clatter to the ground.  
  
A large crack appears in Housenki's skull.  
  
"Housenki has broken." Shippou squeaks.  
  
"Inuyasha, with that Half-Youkai heart of yours, you may inherit my Youkai- power, Kongousouha." (Diamond Spear Blast) Housenki continues.  
  
The crystallized Tetsusaiga radiates with power.  
  
"Naraku, you're not getting away."  
  
Inuyasha swings down Tetsusaiga. "Take this! Kongousouha!" (Diamond Spear Blast)  
  
A large volley of diamond shards flash out.  
  
Naraku's torso and much of the rest of his body is heavily pin-cushioned by large diamond shards. Naraku appears to be in pain and rather annoyed.  
  
"Damn... you..."  
  
Naraku turns to face Sesshoumaru, floating nearby.  
  
Sesshoumaru smirks at Naraku. "You no longer have the power to create a barrier, huh? I, Sesshoumaru shall finish you off!" Sesshoumaru exclaims as Toukijin sends blasts through Naraku.  
  
Naraku's head is ripped in two. He groans in pain. Naraku's body has been ripped to pieces.  
  
Kagome, Inuyasha and the rest look up at the bits of Naraku up in the air. The pieces stay together in a cloud-like mist. The remaining pieces of Naraku seem to be turning into dust.  
  
Sesshoumaru growls, "He's vanishing!?"  
  
Kagome glances back at her remaining arrow, which is radiating with energy. The arrow begins to glow.  
  
Within the cloud, a darkly glowing Shikon fragment can be seen  
  
'Among the flesh, there's a fragment!' Kagome readies the arrow in her bow.  
  
She fires; the arrow flies true. "Hit it!"  
  
A pulse of energy results from the collision. The arrow flies up to where the few remaining bits of Naraku are. The arrow strikes the Naraku cloud, and a flash of light follows.  
  
A large glow of light engulfs Naraku crackling with energy, and the pieces dissolve in the pure energy.  
  
A fragment falls down from out of this, glowing white (purified)  
  
"The Shikon fragment..." Kagome reaches out and plucks the fragment from the air. It is not only the piece Housenki had, but Naraku chunk as well.  
  
"Is it over? Is he gone?" Shippou asks excitedly.  
  
Miroku tentatively finger the rosary around his hand. He turns away from everyone and rips the rosary off while extending his hand in front of him.  
  
Nothing happens. Miroku looks at his palm to see nothing out of the ordinary. The cursed hole in his hand is absent.  
  
Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru exchange glances. Kagome breaks out into a huge grin as she and Sango embrace.  
  
Housenki emerges from the gap in Inutaisho's armor. Everyone's attention turns to him.  
  
"I... wasn't able to protect the Shikon fragment. I didn't think that that evil being... would come all the way here. I wasn't able to stop the conflict swirling around the Shikon no Tama."  
  
"It won't stop. So long as the Shikon no Tama doesn't go away, that is." Inuyasha replies.  
  
"In that case, you should return to your original world. While you're stalling, the gate will close."  
  
Myouga bounces along Kagome's shoulder. "Master Inuyasha! Follow after Lord Sesshoumaru! Hurry!"  
  
Sesshoumaru is drifting through the air; Jaken is with him.  
  
Myouga is jumping agitatedly. "Lord Sesshoumaru, please wa-a-it!"  
  
Myouga continues bouncing along Inuyasha's shoulder. Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippou are on a skeletal bird, following Sesshoumaru. Miroku and Sango hop on Kirara and follow the others.  
  
Myouga continues to call out to the taiyoukai. "Sesshoumaru-sama-a!"  
  
"Myouga, stop, it is shameful!" Inuyasha reprimands as the group follows Sesshoumaru out of the boundary world.  
  
(A/N: SHEESH...13 pages. Omigosh! That wasn't fun at all. Oh well, its over now. (not the story just the graveyard scene) Again, this is not completely true to the manga, but it was adapted for my plot and sanity. If you have any problems...tough!! I already warned you several times! For all of you who reviewed 11A, I will respond to those along with this 11B. (I tried, but didn't have much time and my email is being bothersome.) Hope you enjoyed it. Til next time. Syrinx. 


	13. Traveling Tension

Disclaimer: I figured its prolly the safest to stick these in here randomly in case you people are forgetful...no, to my heartbreak...I don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters involved. The credit goes to a genius by the name of Rumiko Takahashi.  
  
Enchanted Orbs  
  
Chapter 12 Traveling Tension

* * *

Gazing into its depths, she was amazed at how the jewel called to her. A secret glimmer resided within that seemed as if it was hers alone, a part of her.  
  
'Well, it was at one point in time.'  
  
She breathed in deeply and let out a sigh. 'I hope Inuyasha has thought about his wish. I don't really think he still wants to be a full demon, but I could be wrong. He's been so withdrawn since that night with Kikyou.'  
  
She looked up at him. As always he was leading the companions back towards Kaede's village.  
  
Everyone was quiet. A tense silence hung around them.  
  
Miroku kept glancing at his hand. With the curse gone, he could actually plan for his future. Never one to be pessimistic, he did not doubt Naraku's eventual defeat, but he was not ready to foolishly believe he had nothing to worry about. He could never force himself to plan for a future when Naraku was as powerful as he had become. Now that he actually had a life to plan for, would he actually achieve the happiness he never dared try to reach?  
  
Sango had retreated into herself. With the jewel complete, she was brutally aware that her brother must have passed from this plane. No tears fell from her eyes. That was a luxury in which she would indulge when she was alone. For now, she comforted herself with thoughts of his freedom. Kohaku was no longer a slave, no longer an expendable minion of Naraku.  
  
She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth at that thought. Then gave a silent bitter laugh at how easily her clan had played into the evil hanyou's hands, almost as well as the puppets she and her brother had been at one time. A mournful tear tried to escape its lashed prison, but she fiercely relinquished her caustic thoughts. The tear never fell as her determination forced it to vanish.  
  
Inuyasha was torn. He was no longer a weak hanyou; he could defeat strong opponents with even his weakest attack. The Windscar had the capability to maim even a taiyoukai. Even with the protection of Tenseiga, Sesshoumaru was in critcal condition after being struck. With the Bakuryuuha and the Kongousouha (Diamond Spear Blast), he might even be one of the strongest warriors in the land, but despite all this, he was still a halfbreed. He would always be subject to discrimination, would always be hated by one or both sides of his heritage.  
  
Does that even matter anymore? He had friends that would accept him how he was. He could make himself a home outside Kaede's village and protect it from harm, but that was only if he dispatched his feelings for Kikyou.  
  
She could not rest because of him. Because of her hatred for him, her place was hell with all other vengeful spirits, and she didn't want to go alone. No, she wanted him to burn with her. He understood that concept. Few would, but he did. It was much like a warrior falling in battle; if a Samurai knew he was mortally wounded, he would try desperately to bring the cause of that wound along.  
  
Kagome would never understand that line of thinking; she was too compassionate. She wanted everyone to be happy, even if that meant sacrificing her own health and happiness. No matter how foolish her actions could become as a result, he loved her because of that, but he could never tell her. It would only lead to pain. He owed his life, his love to Kikyou, but maybe he could repay that debt without their fates aflame. Maybe he could wish Kikyou back. No, that would hurt and possibly kill Kagome. Both were sharing a soul now, but one had to replenish the partial soul with the unfortunate spirits of others.  
  
Plus, wasn't that a selfish wish? Bringing her to life would fulfill his debt without sacrifice and could possibly bring back his love to her former manner, the one for which he was willing to become human.  
  
The dark side of the jewel might be able to twist that wish into something evil, but even an unselfish wish might not put an end to the jewel as Kikyou's theory proclaimed. After all, Kikyou assumed that an unselfish wish would help Midoriko's struggle within the jewel. With the purity involved in such an act, the priestess imagined the raging battle would end, and the jewel would no longer exist.  
  
What if those assumptions are wrong? Perhaps nothing could destroy the jewel, but he just had to risk it. He would not force Kagome to take on the responsibility which was the bane of Kikyou's existence, not if he could prevent it.  
  
Kagome was being tossed to and fro in her thoughts. She felt lost at sea even as her feet stumbled across a forested floor. On one side of the ship, she worried about her friends. She was not ignorant of the tension in everyone's shoulders. Trying to alleviate their tormented thoughts was a task that was usually deposited on her shoulders, but right now she couldn't find a path out of her muddled thoughts, let alone try to show others a way out of troubles.  
  
With her shoulders shrugging a bit with that failure, she slid to another side to the wave-ravished ship of her mind. How could she tell her family that her mission was done, but she couldn't come back yet? She did not know if she could face her family and tell them that she had agreed to become an employee of a demon. A ruthless, icy demon, who would not hesitate to kill a human, held her to a contract for an indeterminate amount of time. She didn't know when she could visit or if she would even survive her 'job,' but she was bound by honor and by fear.  
  
Her thoughts continued to crash against rocky outcroppings of doubt. The latest cliff face she was thrown against was Sesshoumaru. What did her want her for? What could a "lowly human" possibly do for the taiyoukai? Why?  
  
The questions burned in her mind like seawater in her eyes. If he did want her and her power so badly, why was he so spiteful towards her before they parted? Her stomach churned as she remembered the scene that took place after the fighters of Naraku reached the plane of the living.

* * *

Flashback  
  
Myouga had finally stopped jumping up and down on Inuyasha's shoulder as he realized the taiyoukai had slowed enough for the group to pass through the gates without event.  
  
"Lord Sesshoumaru, we owe you thanks for allowing us to follow you past the entrance." Myouga bowed as he spoke.  
  
Sesshoumaru turned his head and nodded slightly in acknowledgement of his statement. He walked a few paces forward then turned fully to face those trailing him. His eyes swept passed them disdainfully and locked onto Kagome's gaze.  
  
"How long will it take you to reach your village?" His voice was so cold.  
  
Kagome broke her gaze and looked to Inuyasha in silent question.  
  
"Three days." The hanyou answered for her.  
  
Sesshoumaru never took his withering glare from the girl throughout the interplay. "You have a week from that time." His voice was as caustic as the acid he employed. It sounded as if he hated the words he had just spoken to her.  
  
End Flashback  
  
Kagome shivered as a wave of cold rush through her veins in remembrance of his icy attitude toward her. What had happened? At one point in their meetings he had actually made a sad attempt at humor, granted it was sadistic in nature, but it was a form of humor nonetheless.  
  
Shippou stirred in her arms. Blissfully unaware of the tumult of feelings coursing through her and the rest of the friends, the little kitsune slept. Nestled into his closest confidante and friend's body, nothing could be wrong in the world. So he slumbered on in the heat of the afternoon sun.  
  
Silence continued; tension forced the minutes to drag out into hours, but finally night fell.  
  
"We'll set up camp here." Inuyasha stated as night started to close in around them.  
  
Miroku nodded. Inuyasha left the clearing and began to gather firewood. Kagome started to unpack the few belongings she could keep up with throughout the continuous battles. Sango cast a forlorn look around the campsite.  
  
"I'm going for a walk." Sango said in a voice barely above a whisper. Kagome looked at her friend, her sister in adversity. Their eyes met and understanding flooded through the young miko.  
  
Miroku looked sadly upon the young woman. His heart bled for her; he knew who torn she was about the loss of her brother. He wanted so badly to be the one she sought for comforting, but he had ensured that she wouldn't with his consistent groping.  
  
Sango saw the pity that flashed through Kagome's eyes. She would never resent her female companion, but she did not want pity. Receiving pity went against everything she stood for as a warrior, and she would not stand here and accept such treatment.  
  
She turned and walked into the surrounding trees, seeking comfort in the solitude they could offer.  
  
When Sango was out of earshot, Kagome spoke up softly. "She is really taking his death hard. No matter what happens, she'll always blame herself."  
  
Miroku need not ask to who Kagome was referring. He knew all too well who Sango's sorrow revolved around.  
  
Silence entrapped them for what seemed an eternity. Kagome allowed Sango time to mourn in solitude.  
  
Kagome could feel Inuyasha's demon presence begin to return. She wanted to allow Sango time, but she also wanted to talk to Miroku alone. Time was not on her side, so she decided to say her peace while they were alone.  
  
"She will eventually want someone to go to her." Miroku looked up at Kagome with curiosity in his eyes.  
  
"It should be you, Miroku. She won't want to talk about her pain, but you can share it with her by just allowing her to cry on your shoulder."  
  
Her eyes were intently trying to focus on the patchy grass underneath her as she said this, but she could not stand it anymore. Her gaze turned to the hesitant monk.  
  
In the depths of his eyes, he bore his soul to her. She could see the longing within, but overpowering that pull was the fear of rejection.  
  
He wanted to more than anything in the world. He wanted to be a strength for the vulnerable taijiya; he wanted to comfort her and shelter her from the storm raging through her. The fear that she would hate him for intruding on her privacy, hate him for his past actions. Hate him. He couldn't force himself to stand. No, he couldn't risk it.  
  
"She would want you to, Miroku. Your strong arms could hold more fears at bay than mine ever could. Go to her." Kagome urged him lightly.  
  
Inuyasha was drawing ever near, and her time was running short.  
  
"But, you have always been the one she wanted before..." he started but was cut off. He would not voice his fears.  
  
"Miroku," her eyes shone as she continued to prod him, "believe me. I know her well. She would rather you be there now, but do not give in to her. She will tell you to leave. Just wrap her in you arms and hold her."  
  
She smiled at him as she saw courage build in him. He began to stand and the thoughts of having her in his arms registered in his mind. He gave Kagome a hesitant smile as he reached his feet.  
  
He began to walk after her as Kagome stopped him, "if you betray her with your hands, I'll cut them off, myself."  
  
"I would never do that at such a time as this." He stated without turning back to her.  
  
Miroku walked silently through the trees for a few minutes until he heard the faint sound of her weeping.  
  
Her side was to him; she sat with her knees folded under her. Delicate hands covered her face and shoulders shuddered with each moment as he stood there entranced. Even in the depths of pain, she was radiant.  
  
He walked to her observing how the moonlight reflected off the tears streaming through her fingers. She dropped her hands exposing mobile crystals falling from closed eyes.  
  
He knelt in front of her as she noticed him. Her eyes locking with his urging him to her, but then she came back to her pride as she felt his arms enfold her.  
  
Her slow sobs stilled for a moment as he held her.  
  
"I want to be alone right now." Her voice was tense and strained from her sobs.  
  
"You'll never be alone." He let his words hand in midair.  
  
He thought is best if she took them the way she wanted. He had no right to force himself on her in a grieving period, but he wanted her to know that he and the others were there for her.  
  
Her tense shoulders relaxed a bit then her tears returned as if they had never left.

* * *

"If you make a snide comment when they return, I'll turn your back to dust with how many times I used the rosary on you." Kagome warned him as he sat across the fire from her.  
  
He looked up at her then jumped into the tree for the night.  
  
'Well that was polite.' She thought sarcastically. Then her thoughts softened. 'What's wrong with him? Why is he behaving like this? What can he be thinking?'

* * *

They reached Kaede's village within the allotted three days. Nothing had been said about Sango's mourning or Miroku comforting her. Nothing had been said about the jewel.  
  
The last days of travel were not as tense. Shippou was awake for most of the time and kept Kagome away from her tormenting thoughts. When those two were cheerful, the others felt the mood lighten, well all except Inuyasha. He stayed within his own realm.  
  
Kagome was all set to leave for her time. Everyone was gathered in the clearing. Kaede gasped the girl's hand as she smiled farewell to the older miko. Sango and Miroku gave her a parting hug as she made her way to the well.  
  
Inuyasha waited for her beside the well with his back to her approach. She reached out and touched his shoulder lightly. His head dropped and he turned to face her; his bangs covered his eyes.  
  
Kagome held her hand out in between them palm up. Resting on her palm was the complete Shikon no Tama.  
  
His face rose to observe hers. She smiled a small smile.  
  
"As promised, the wish is yours, Inuyasha."  
  
"Kagome, I..." His head dropped once again.  
  
He knew what his wish was going to be. It was the only thing he knew of to do. He just hoped she would understand. She had to; she was one of the only people who could understand him in the past.  
  
He hesitantly picked up the jewel. He closed his eyes in concentration as his thoughts raced.  
  
'Kikyou walks this earth with a partial soul. I am two parts that make a whole, but I am still incomplete. Maybe we could find completion together. We would be bound by the same soul, but at least I would be bound on this pane rather than in hell. I wish to give my human soul, my human blood to Kikyou so she my live once more.'  
  
Then there was pain, unbearable pain.

* * *

Sorry this was a kind-of-cliffie, but I couldn't resist. Plus I was out of time, I am moving tomorrow, so my computer will be unable to access the internet for a bit. I should be able update again next weekend, but summer school starts Tuesday and I signed up to take Greek-1 and Greek-2 simultaneously (that's how the course was offered...weird huh?) so I won't have time during the week to update. This chapter was a little depressing and uneventful, but it reflects the mood of the author this day. Long story. Until next week, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Love to all, Syrinx 


	14. Bound

Yes, I know that was an evil, evil cliffhanger, but hopefully I updated fast enough for you not to hate me too much, eh? So without further ado...  
  
Enchanted Orbs  
  
Last time: "As promised, the wish is yours, Inuyasha."  
  
"Kagome, I..." His head dropped once again.  
  
He knew what his wish was going to be. It was the only thing he knew of to do. He just hoped she would understand. She had to; she was one of the only people who could understand him in the past.  
  
He hesitantly picked up the jewel. He closed his eyes in concentration as his thoughts raced.  
  
'Kikyou walks this earth with a partial soul. I am two parts that make a whole, but I am still incomplete. Maybe we could find completion together. We would be bound by the same soul, but at least I would be bound on this pane rather than in hell. I wish to give my human soul, my human blood to Kikyou so she my live once more.'  
  
Then there was pain, unbearable pain.  
  
Chapter 13=Bound

* * *

There was a pull in her chest; it was urging her forward. To where, she did not know, but what she did know was she needed to be somewhere, now.  
  
Her soul carriers where trailing her, as always, but she didn't pay any attention to them, for the time being.  
  
Suddenly she felt an aura coming towards her. She reached behind her to grab her bow, but then she recognized the aura. Inuyasha was coming to her. She let her hand fall back to her side and waited.  
  
When he should've been close enough to walk out from behind the trees surrounding her, she was slightly surprised not to see even a hint of red.  
  
The pull in her chest was still urging her, forcing her forward. 'Maybe I should just ignore him for the time being.' She thought trying to understand the draw inside her.  
  
But as she felt Inuyasha enter the clearing, he wasn't there. She was perplexed.  
  
"What...," then she saw it. The bluish cloud of his aura was approaching her, floating to her.  
  
"Oh no." She whispered, remorsefully. "He can't have. Please, no, no he can't be dead."  
  
The aura continued forward, picking up speed as it neared her, and slammed into her chest with a newly acquired intensity.  
  
She burned all over. It felt as it the fires of hell were consuming her. The unreal flames began at her bosom where the cloud had disappeared into her. She felt them, but couldn't see them. She assured herself she wasn't on fire, but her mind didn't register because of the pain.  
  
The burning feeling licked down her arms and traveled down her legs. When she felt the needles of pain flow into her fingers, she lifted her hand to her eyes. The clay flesh that was molded into her current body was changed before her eyes.  
  
She could almost see her flesh burning away as a scroll set aflame, but in its stead a new skin covered her. Warm skin, the covering of the living, she was no longer a corpse.  
  
A joy spread through her, dulling the pain as the earth flesh of her face and neck were burned away to be replaced by life.  
  
She was alive again, but then the memories came. She had received Inuyasha's soul. She knew this, and with his soul, she was given part of him as well. She felt the feelings he held.  
  
She felt the love he held for her and her incarnation, the fierce protectiveness of Sango, Miroku, Shippou, Kagome, and Kirara, the protectiveness that came with being part of a family. She remembered her own family, but she never really felt a part of them. She had to live her life alone, the Miko of the Shikon no Tama.  
  
Now, even thought she'd never spoken more than a few words to any of them, she felt as if she'd give her life to save theirs, even Kagome, who she'd threatened several times. Maybe she could now be a part of something. She felt hope rise within her.  
  
She could feel. The emotions of kindness, tenderness, love, things she had not felt since she had been reawakened, were sparked within her once again.  
  
She saw memories of jumping from branch to branch among the trees of the forest. She saw the Tetsusaiga held out in front of her as if she was holding it; fights with demons she'd never seen before passed through her mind's eye as if she, herself, had vanquished them.  
  
Then realization dawned on her. She ran.  
  
She had not run since she was a child. Priestesses were supposed to be the picture of calm assurance and confidence. Running was for people who were not weighed down with the burdens she had to bear.  
  
But now she ran. She flew through the trees as fast as her legs were willing to carry her.  
  
She wasn't far from Kaede's village, her former home. She had to know, for certain, what was happening, but she had a foreboding feeling that told her she didn't want to know.

* * *

He was being torn in half, slowly; painfully being ripped apart at the seams.  
  
He dropped his head so no one could see how much pain he was involved in his wish, but it became too much. His hand reached to his chest and clutched the material covering it.  
  
Claws cut through his fire rat haori as he curled his fingers around the bunched article. He did not notice when blood started to trickle down his digits from wounds he inflicted on his own chest.  
  
He fell to his knees, no longer able to keep his stance steady through the haze.

* * *

Kagome saw him close his eyes to mentally voice his wish as he held the jewel in his hand. She prayed to anyone who would listen that his wish would not be full fledged demonhood.  
  
He was strong enough without it, but she couldn't tell what he was thinking lately.  
  
Her eyes were on him, but she was not really watching as she was thinking about his demeanor of late.  
  
Blue eyes snapped back into focus as she saw him drop to his knees. She watched in horror as blood trailed down his fingers on one hand. The other hand reached for the ground as he bent over it.  
  
She saw a blue flash emerge from him and escape into the trees surrounding the clearing.  
  
'Oh, Kami, what was that?' She mused anxiously. Her worry escalated, tenfold.  
  
Unfortunately, worry turned to remorse when she saw his claws, on the hand that was braced against the ground, lengthen and take on a greenish tint.  
  
'He couldn't have...why?' Kagome closed her eyes against the claws that were still lengthening.  
  
'All that work rebuilding the jewel, gone. He had made a selfish wish; he just wanted more power, more strength. He was blind to the fact that he was strong enough to defeat the most powerful of enemies; he still idiotically thought he needed more might.' Kagome couldn't help but feel a little betrayed; mostly, though, she felt angry.  
  
She was once again brought out of her thoughts when Inuyasha stirred in front of her. Both hands now rested on the ground, one crimson, covered in his own blood, the other, a pale cream color, the contrast was striking.  
  
She took a slight step back. If he was a demon, was he coherent? Would he be like all the times he transformed or would he be able to consciously think through his demonic instincts.  
  
She hoped he would be like his half brother, Sesshoumaru. Maybe he would be fully aware of his actions and everything would be fine.  
  
Kagome's optimistic side was swiftly executed when she heard a feral growl rumbling through the chest of the creature in front of her. She saw razor blade claws dig reflexively into the earth.  
  
She took several steps backwards trying to distance herself from him. She did not spend the last few years in the feudal era only to die this short of being able to go home.  
  
The others were behind her, but they did not know his wish. Only Kagome and apparently Kirara knew. Kirara had transformed into her fighting form. Shippou jumped onto her back in case of danger. Miroku and Sango couldn't see the subtle signs that Kagome had picked up.  
  
Still walking backwards slowly, she finally reached her friends' sides. They looked at her, questioningly as she reached them, but the fear and anger in her eyes told them exactly what was happening.  
  
Both Miroku and Sango dropped instinctively into a fighting stance and waited.  
  
They did not have to wait long. Inuyasha slowly began to chuckle softly; he rose slowly to his feet.  
  
Head still dropped and bangs covering his eyes, he straighted to his full height and flexed his hands beside him. His knuckles cracked and his claws lengthened fully, with this action.  
  
"No." Kagome whispered and fiercely shook her head in denial, but when Inuyasha raised his head to expose glowing scarlet eyes and jagged lines scarring his face, reality brutally slapped her in the face.  
  
A sadistic smile crawled its way across his face as he began to approach the trio.  
  
"Inuyasha, its me, Kagome. Please, don't you remember?" She pleaded with the demon steadily approaching.  
  
He lunged at the group. Sango leapt onto Kirara and took to the air as Miroku grabbed Kagome and threw her to the side with him as they dodged Inuyasha's attack.  
  
He slid past them and stood once more to face them. Then Kagome saw him sniff the air; once more an evil smile captured his face. He turned his head slightly to look at an older lady watching from the side.  
  
"Oh no, Kaede! I forgot she was still here." She had to do something. His legs bent slightly and pushed off the ground, once again lunging towards intended prey.  
  
"Inuyasha, SIT!!" She screamed as loud as she could.  
  
He was in midair as the subdue command took effect. The necklace pulled him to the ground, but only held him for a second. With his increased demon strength, the rosary's hold was only momentary, and his was quickly on his feet once again ready to draw blood.  
  
Quickly she erected a powerful barrier around the demon. He crashed into the translucent pink shield and snarled as he was slightly singed from it purity.  
  
He began to claw at the wall preventing him from the blood he craved. He was trying to brake through. Kagome knew she could hold him for a while, but she had to sleep sometime. She couldn't hold him forever. Something would have to be done.  
  
"Sit!" She tried desperately to reestablish some control over him.  
  
She could see the necklace straining to reach the ground, but Inuyasha was strong enough to remain on his feet. Only the slight slump in his shoulders showed that the rosary was still attempting to subdue him.  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome heard a soft yell pierce the woods around her. She focused her eyes to where the voice sounded.  
  
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she gazed on the figure of Kikyou. She had just broken through the line of the trees that surrounded the well's clearing.  
  
But something was different about her. Kagome had never seen her like she was now. Kikyou had a heartbroken expression on her face, as if her world had just crashed down around her. The thing that shocked Kagome the most was Kikyou's state.  
  
The ever calm, ever perfect Kikyou was everything but. Her miko garb was tattered in several places, her hair was a bit askew, with her ribbon trailing down her back about to fall from her locks, and she was panting. It appeared that Kikyou had just run a marathon.  
  
Kikyou looked at Inuyasha. Red eyes glowed through the shield holding him.  
  
She smile slightly and reached her hand out longingly; Kikyou began to walk towards him. Kagome and the others watched on dazed as they saw tears glittering her cheeks.

* * *

Kikyou entered the clearing believing the worst. She was terribly afraid for the first time in her life and death. She was terrified that Inuyasha had given his life in exchange for hers.  
  
She knew the promises she pulled from him was her hatred seared through her afterlife. Those were hate inspired words that kept her alive, but now she no longer felt that way. The love she had for him had resurfaced as his soul joined with her body. She could feel the love he still held for her within the feelings she gained from him.  
  
Now that she had another chance to feel love, she knew it would be taken from her. In fact if her assumptions were right, that her love was taken from her to give her another chance.  
  
"Inuyasha" She let out an anguished yell.  
  
Fate was cruel, but she had to be sure. She would not give up on him until she saw where he had fallen, and then she would give him a proper sending and mourn him.  
  
But maybe, just maybe he was alive.  
  
She broke through into the clearing where she knew her incarnation was, struggling to breath after her exertion. Her eyes fell on a barrier, and inside was Inuyasha.  
  
'He's alive.' She saw his eyes and realized what his wish was. He was no longer human. In her first life she would have been disgusted. Mikos were trained to think of demons as their enemy, but she no longer cared. He had sacrificed so much for her.  
  
She reached out for him and stepped towards his prison. She vaguely realized she was crying as she neared him.  
  
"Kikyou, no!! He doesn't recognize anyone in this state! He'll kill you!" Kagome yelled.  
  
She did not know what happened to change her incarnation into the vulnerable girl she saw before her. She never really like Kikyou much, I mean who would really like someone who stole part of their soul, tried to kill them, and continuously got in the way of their attempts at a relationship, but she was not going to let Inuyasha kill her.  
  
Kagome watched as Kikyou approached the barrier. Kikyou looked at Kagome, their eyes met. A love tortured brown pleaded with a worried blue.  
  
Inuyasha had stopped clawing at the walls surrounding him and stalked to the woman standing right outside his cell.  
  
"Inuyasha, what have you done?" Kikyou spoke softly to him.

* * *

He stood only a foot from her, unseeing eyes gazed at her. Something familiar called to him through the red haze in his vision.  
  
The need for blood quelled slightly. He looked into big brown eyes that glistened with falling tears.  
  
He felt a warm hand on his cheek, and suddenly everything cleared.

* * *

The audience was in a shocked silence as they watched Kikyou reach her hand through Kagome's barrier.  
  
'That barrier is very strong,' Kagome thought 'she must be pure hearted to reach through unfazed, but how?'  
  
All expected her to pull back a bloody nub where her hand used to be, but amazingly Inuyasha let her touch his cheek.  
  
Jaws dropped as the red glow vanished behind lids and he nuzzled his face against her palm.  
  
When Kikyou saw that he wasn't going to immediately kill her, she stepped through completely.  
  
She couldn't take it anymore. She was so close to her love, and she didn't care if her killed her now. She wanted to hold him without the hatred that consumed her last time she'd done so.  
  
He stood still as she wrapped her arms around him. When his chest was pressed against her, he felt his soul calling to him.  
  
Everything came back to him, he opened his eyes and smiled down at her. Kikyou never saw his smile as she had her head resting against his shoulder, but she did feel him enfold her in his arms.  
  
"I'm back." He whispered gently in her ear.  
  
"and so am I" She answered him.

* * *

Kagome saw his eyes open. She breathed a huge sigh of relief when amber eyes looked down on the woman holding him. The jagged lines still remained, though.  
  
She couldn't help but feel a slight pang when she saw him return her affection, but she knew everything had turned out well. All she could do was hope that she would not drag him to hell.  
  
Kagome felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and smiled at Sango. The taijiya looked at her with sympathy shining in her eyes.  
  
She had loved Inuyasha, but now, thanks to her abilities, he was her best friend. The pang was a fleeting farewell to the love she hoped she could share with him, but she was happy for her friend.  
  
"Its ok, Sango. I'm fine." Sango looked at her a bit skeptically. Kagome suddenly looked over her shoulder at the two embracing behind her. She dropped the barrier surrounding them.  
  
She inhaled deeply and beamed brightly Miroku and Sango. "I just love happy endings!"  
  
She looked back at Inuyasha and Kikyou and noticed that they had parted.  
  
Inuyasha had turned away from Kikyou and began to walk towards his companions. Kikyou watched from a distance.  
  
"Kagome, I..." Inuyasha stopped short as he reached the group.  
  
They could see his body tense as if he was struggling with something. His eyes turned pinkish and orange as red started to cover the irises and whites of his eyes.  
  
He closed his eyes in concentration as he fought his demonic side. Kagome reached behind her and pushed Sango and Miroku back as she took a step away from Inuyasha.  
  
'What's happening to him?' She thought to herself.  
  
She saw his jaw clench with the intensity as he fought his demonic instincts to kill. Sango and Miroku once again dropped into fighting stances  
  
Inuyasha lunged once again. Miroku tried desperately to reach Kagome, but this time he fell short.  
  
"Kagome! NO!" Shippou began crying furiously.  
  
Sango screamed as she saw her best friend taken to the ground with blood streaked across her chest from Inuyasha's claws.  
  
He crouched beside her, smirking. He turned towards the other two, sadistically licking Kagome's blood from his claws. He stood again his craving for blood was not filled, but before he could sharpen his claws on the flesh in front of him, a voice stopped him.  
  
"You bastard." A weak voice whispered from right behind him. He saw Kagome (though he didn't know who he had thought he just killed in he demonic stupor) lift a glowing hand towards him.  
  
Pink light burst from her outstretched hand and collided with his chest. The blow threw him into a tree. He was stunned for a moment.  
  
Kagome took this short amount of time and focused all her energy on healing herself enough to stand. By the time she could she saw the demon pick himself up and shake his head.  
  
Red eyes narrowed at her. He was about to attack her once again, but Kagome decided to go on the offensive.  
  
Pink orbs appeared around her, three circling her shoulders, five surrounding her waist. The three flew towards him. He began to dodge as she directed her weapons to close in from different directions.  
  
Her concentration was interrupted as Kikyou ran to her side.  
  
"Kagome, please don't hurt him. I can keep his demon side subdued." Kagome was a little shocked that her incarnation was almost pleading her for something.  
  
'That's a change. I was always the one stumbling in her shadow, but now she's practically pleading with me.' It was then that she realized what she had let go of.  
  
She didn't even bother to look up, she knew he was headed straight for them. She threw up a barrier quickly to prevent another attack.  
  
"His claws hurt. I don't want to deal with that again." She said mostly to herself. The threat temporarily dampened as he tried to claw through the shield, Kagome looked at Kikyou. Her eyes were still pleading.  
  
Kagome let out a small sigh. She turned her gaze to Inuyasha whose had stopped his attacks on the barrier, but was still growling fiercely.  
  
The sunlight gleamed off the beads in his rosary. A small smirk crossed her face. Two white lights floated around her, bobbing up and down briefly before passing through her shield and floating towards the demon.  
  
He began to dodge her attempts to get at the rosary.  
  
"Dang him. He's spoiling my plans." She sent more orbs towards him to distract him from her original intent.  
  
"Success!!" Kagome cried as two of her orbs succeeded in snapping the rosary and lifting it from his neck. The orbs carried it back to her.  
  
"So, Kikyou, you said you want to keep him subdued, huh?" Kagome said with a slight smirk.  
  
Kikyou looked at her questioningly, then caught on to her line of thinking.  
  
Tiny white orbs about the size of the beads on the rosary began to swirl around the necklace floating before her. Concentrating, she infused it with some of her own power to make it stronger. The beads twisted and spun in patterns around her as she strengthened the spell.  
  
The two mikos locked eyes, and Kagome sent the reformed necklace to her former self. Kikyou nodded and folded her hands together. She began chanting. All of a sudden the beads shot towards the demon in front of her.  
  
The rosary once again took its place around Inuyasha's neck. Kikyou walked up to the shield right in front of Inuyasha.  
  
His growling stopped. His eyes tried to focus, but something seemed to be getting in the way. 'Of course.' Kikyou mentally stated.  
  
"Kagome, drop your barrier please. He won't harm you anymore." Kikyou called out.  
  
She looked a little hesitant, but decided she could trust her. Why? She had no clue, but her instincts told her to, so she followed them.  
  
The barrier dropped. Inuyasha was just about to lunged at them, but stopped suddenly. His eyes closed tightly, his hands became fists, and his jaw clenched, but then, when his eyes opened once again, gold stared back at everyone.  
  
"Yes," Kikyou started, "that confirms it."  
  
Inuyasha looked up at everyone; confusion reigned on his face. He didn't know what had just happened, but then he saw the blood that soaked the front of Kagome's shirt. Everything he had done a few moments ago crushed him. He was about to apologize when Kagome cut him off.  
  
"I can't believe you." She said quietly. Her face dropped to the ground. "Why, Inuyasha?"  
  
He thought she meant him attacking her, but she didn't.  
  
"I couldn't help it. I'm sorry" He choked out.  
  
"You couldn't help it?" She asked incredulously. Her anger from earlier returned. "Couldn't help it? All our hard work, everything, washed down the drain. Why? Because you wanted more strength. Damn it! Inuyasha, you were probably one of the strongest in the land anyways, but no I guess that wasn't enough for you. No, you used a selfish wish to taint the jewel for you own wants. Kami, I thought you had changed. I guess I just expected too much from you."  
  
Kagome was about to walk away, but the look on his face stopped her.  
  
His face was turned to the side looking at the ground. He had a defeated smile on his face, and he shook his head in an unbelieving manner.  
  
"You really don't get it do you? I hoped you would understand, but I guess I was wrong." He said in an almost broken manner.  
  
He cast a quick glance at Kikyou who stood behind Kagome. He locked gazes with Kagome who was trying desperately to understand what he wanted her to know.  
  
He saw her confusion and 'hmphed.' A steely expression overtook his face. He reached down to the Tetsusaiga at his hip. Energy crackled around his hand and burned scorched marks into his skin, but his grabbed it anyways.  
  
He winced in pain as the sword rejected his grip, but he refused to let go. He lifted the sword, still sheathed, from his side and threw it at her feet. It clattered to the ground as she began to understand.  
  
His eyes narrowed a bit, whether from the pain, or if he was glaring at her, she couldn't tell, but before she could ask, he turned to leave.  
  
"Kagome," Kikyou spoke softly, "I must go with him, for I hold his human soul now. If he strays too far from me, well, you've just seen what happens. He did not wish for what you think. Please don't think that of him, but I am grateful for your help subduing him. In case he doesn't stay near enough, I can use the rosary until he regains his senses. Thank you, but I must go."  
  
He had heard what she said, but he already knew. That what he wished for, right? He wanted to be bound to her on this plane, and he wanted her to regain her emotions. He got what he'd wished for, but he was saddened and disappointed. The first person he'd ever considered a friend didn't understand him as well as he thought she did.

* * *

"Kami, I screwed up didn't I?" She asked her remaining companions.  
  
"It is only afternoon, Lady Kagome. Why don't you remain here until evening? You can let him cool a bit before trying to talk to him, then return to your home." Miroku suggested gently.  
  
"Yeah, I think I'll do that." Kagome said. Shippou jumped into her arms to comfort her.  
  
"Everything will be ok, you'll see, Kagome." The little kitsune was already beginning to make her feel better, and later, she would set things straight with Inuyasha.

* * *

Sorry, this one wasn't as upbeat as I wanted to make it, but it'll get better!! I promise. I'm not a huge fan of sad stories. Oh, and as an apology for making the last cliffy so brutal (as I heard again and again insert evil laugh here) I made this chapter extra long AND posted a day earlier than I had planned! Don't you love me?!? Com'on you know you do! cheesy smile Hope you liked it. Whad'ya think? Love to all=Syrinx 


	15. Time well Spent

Enchanted Orbs  
  
Chapter 14 Time Well Spent

* * *

Kagome had decided to walk down to the river that ran along side Kaede's village to clear her mind. She had to think of what to say to Inuyasha, but first she needed to figure out just what his wish was.  
  
Inuyasha's voice taunted her thoughts . . . "You really don't get it do you? I hoped you would understand, but I guess I was wrong." But what was once a broken statement of despair had now turned into a mocking, spiteful voice in her head.  
  
'What did he do?' She desperately wanted to understand. He was a full blooded demon now, but he couldn't hold his greatest weapon. Why?'  
  
Then Kikyou's voice echoed inside her head. "I must go with him, for I hold his human soul now . . . He did not wish for what you think."  
  
'Kikyou holds his human soul? That means she's alive again, but he's still alive. That means he did not give up his life for hers. He's a full blooded demon.' Then it hit her like a tons of bricks.  
  
'He brought her back by giving her his humanity. Oh, Kami! What have I done? I told him his wish was selfish, but it wasn't. He gave up a part of himself to allow her to live again, and I called him selfish. He can't even use his greatest weapon and only inheritance anymore, and I accused him of only greed. What do I do now? How can I possibly make it better?'  
  
Kagome dropped to her knees on the river bank.  
  
"What can I say to him to regain his trust?" Kagome's mind traveled to all the times Inuyasha had made her mad and she'd gone home for a few days. Maybe she should just stand beside him and give a 'Feh!' and everything would be fixed. She giggled at her own stupid thoughts as she pictured Inuyasha sitting with his knees folded underneath him and his hands lying in his lap, while she stood next to him with arms crossed in front of her and a scowl on her face.  
  
'Yeah, like that would ever happen!' She tried, but the giggles would not stop coming. They came full force when the picture was modified as her standing, arms crossed, dressed in Inuyasha's robes with Inuyasha sitting beside her...IN HER SKIRT!?!  
  
"Wow..." Giggles ceased and Kagome grabbed her sides laughing so hard no noise came from her mouth and throat. After a few minutes she finally calmed down.  
  
"My imagination really can run away with me sometimes."  
  
Kagome wiped the tear from her eye (A/N: yes, she laughed that hard...wouldn't you if you saw Inu in Kagome's skirt?)  
  
She sighed heavily and looked to the setting sun. There was only about two hours until darkness would settle. "I guess I better go set things straight. Well, that is if I can."  
  
She rose to her feet. She closed her eyes and extended her aura; she reached into her senses and scouted for the familiar hanyou presence. 'He's not too far from here.' With that thought Kagome started in his direction.

* * *

Kikyou looked up and saw Kagome walking towards them. She sat across from Inuyasha; he had been very quiet all afternoon. Kikyou was worried for him, but she knew he was upset.  
  
The two mikos met each other's gaze. "I'll just be leaving. I will not be far" Kikyou glanced at Inuyasha, who refused to look at either of them. Then she turned and walked away.  
  
Kagome seated herself where Kikyou had been and began.  
  
"Inuyasha..."she took a deep breath. He had still yet to look at her. "I am sorry. I never realized how much you would give up becoming a full demon. I ... I, it was one of my biggest fears that would be your wish and you would lose yourself to your blood. When that happened, I just got so angry. I didn't think it through. I..." Tears were streaming down her face by now, but she forced her voice to stay steady.  
  
"I know that I betrayed your trust and friendship, and I wish there was something I could do to take it back; but I can't. I ask for your forgiveness; that's all a can do." She waited in silence with her head lowered.  
  
Inuyasha kept his silence. He could smell her tears; he knew this was causing her a great deal of pain, this only made him feel better. She had hurt him with her accusations, and he would not fold so easily.  
  
"Inuyasha, its getting late. I must go. I only have a week to spend with my family, then I am to go with Sesshoumaru. He has never said how long I am to be will him, so the more time I can be there, the better. I can't stay here and wait for you to decide what our fate will be. I am sorry." When she had spoken her piece, she rose to leave him.  
  
'Damn. She leaves it in my hands again.' Inuyasha's thoughts speed through his head. 'Every time we had an argument, well, every time she got upset with me, I had to go get her. This time its my turn to be mad, and I still have to go get her. No! Not this time.'  
  
"Kagome." His voice stopped her from leaving, but she did not turn to face him. She was trying to clear her face of any evidence that she had been crying.  
  
"Yes, Inuyasha?"  
  
"I'm still mad, but it'll pass."  
  
She heard the rustle of his clothing as he stood. With a leap, he was in a tree, and Kagome knew the conversation was over.

* * *

"Is everything prepared and running smoothly?"  
  
In a sparsely lit room hidden underground in the middle of the lands, five men sat at a low table. The man at the head of the table looked individually at the four sitting down the table from him. One by one, he locked eyes with them and they nodded.  
  
"Nothing seems amiss? Are they getting suspicious?"  
  
No one had to question who 'they' were. All knew their assignments, and all knew the price of failure. The closest three shook their head in a negative response, but one kept still. The last did not answer.  
  
The man at the head of the table focused his attention on the last. "What of yours? Is the lord suspicious?"  
  
The last spoke slowly, hesitantly. "I am not sure. Things have changed in the routine."  
  
"Explain."  
  
"Well, Lord Sess..."  
  
"How many times have I told you NO NAMES!!" The head man was irate. Now the other three would know this one's assignment. 'Oh well, the time draws near.'  
  
No, very little could change the plans he had carefully laid out. "Well what are you waiting for? Continue" He spat viciously.  
  
"Apologies milord. The lord has changed his daily routine, which up until now was set in stone. It is hard to find him at any given point in time because he has become erratic in his movements. Its as if he is expecting something."  
  
"Has he taken any action which would interfere with the plans?"  
  
"No. He has in fact taken steps in aid."  
  
"Explain your words."  
  
"He has brought in human servants who are not loyal to him, and they are easily dispatched. He has also, frequently taken leaves of absence for several days. Its as if he wants this to happen."  
  
The man at the head of the table said nothing in response for sometime. The men scattered down the table sat in awkward silence awaiting further orders and their dismissal. They waited.  
  
Finally the lead man spoke. "I will think on his movements. Your lord is a cunning one; yes, he is planning something, but do not let that interfere with our plans. Be more discrete in your movements."  
  
Then he turned his head to address all before him.  
  
"Everything will progress at the afore mentioned time. Let nothing stand in your way. I need not remind you the price of your failure. You are dismissed."

* * *

"Hi, mom! I'm home!" Kagome came into her house with a big, false smile painted on her face.  
  
"Hello, honey! I am so glad you're home." Kagome's mother rushed to her daughter and embraced the long absent teen.  
  
"It's been so long. What has kept you from home?" The woman pulled away from her daughter so she could hear and see the response to her question.  
  
Kagome's thoughts saddened just a bit. It had been at least a month since she had been home, and in a week she'd had to turn back around and leave for an undetermined span.  
  
She saw her daughter's face fall a bit; she braced herself. She knew troubling news would come with the next words.  
  
"I only have a week to stay, then I have to go back."  
  
The motherly smile had faded, "What do you mean Kagome?" Normally Kagome would only come home for a short time, why was this time any different?  
  
"I don't know how long I'll be gone; the jewel is completed. I don't need to be there anymore, but I made a promise to help someone. I don't know how long it'll take."  
  
Kagome knew this wasn't the case. It was perhaps a half truth. She did give her word, but it wasn't to help him. Of course, even if it was to help, he would never admit to needed a human's aid, and she did not know how long her 'employment' would last.  
  
"But the jewel is complete? That means you are not in danger any more?"  
  
Kagome gasped. She had never told her mom how much danger she was in on the other side of the well. She was too afraid her mother wouldn't allow her to go back. But, of coarse, a mother always knows things such as that.  
  
"No, I think the danger has passed. Plus..." Kagome brightened up instantly. "I can take better care of myself now. I think I have better control over my abilities." She beamed at her mother.  
  
"Your grandfather will be so happy to hear that." Kagome frowned. She just now realized how empty the house was.  
  
"Where is everybody?"  
  
"They will be home shortly. Souta and your grandfather went into town, and should be back any time now."  
  
"Ok, well I'm gonna go take a bath and unpack."  
  
"Have you eaten? I can fix you something while you're bathing?"  
  
"Food would be great, mom."

* * *

That night Kagome was again visited by Nara.  
  
Kagome realized she was dreaming as she gazed out at the vast wasteland that surrounded her. Sparse plants that were very coarse in appearance sprouted every now and then. A thin layer of frost was braided into the near absent vegetation underfoot. The scene reminded her of the tundra she had once studied in a class a long time ago.  
  
A chill was in the air; the wind blew harshly through the thin robes that she wore. The air in front of her shimmered for a moment, and then Nara was before her.  
  
Nara, though once again beautiful in her platinum hair and white attire, looked much different than the last time Kagome had seen her.  
  
Nara was no longer the smiling and free creature she had known her as. This time, the dreamscape reflected what Kagome saw in the woman before her.  
  
Nara was cold and serene, distant and solemn. They met each other in gaze.  
  
"You have questions that need to be answered." Nara began.  
  
Kagome was very intimidated by her. "Y-yes." She squeaked out.  
  
Nara smiled gently somewhat easing the girl's fears. "Then ask."  
  
Kagome was caught off guard. She thought Nara knew the questions and would just answer them. She wasn't expecting to actually be forced to voice them. 'Oh well, here goes.'  
  
"A few weeks ago something attacked me mentally. Was it the power you gave me that did this?"  
  
"Yes, but you don't have a proper grasp of what you possess. I gave you an access to your own power, not the power itself. Listen well, child. What runs through your veins is yours, I did not bestow upon you the actual abilities. Those lay dormant in you the entire time. I only gave you the ability to reach within yourself and control it."  
  
Kagome stood in a shocked silence for several moments, but then realized that she still didn't know what happened that night.  
  
"Why did it attack me?"  
  
Nara looked off into the distance before she replied. "Kagome, do you remember how you felt before that happened."  
  
She thought for a moment. She remembered seeing Inuyasha with Kikyou, and she remembered running away.  
  
"I was upset." Was all she could come up with upon searching her memories.  
  
"No, you weren't. Remember?" Nara focused once again on Kagome.  
  
As if she were experiencing it all again, Kagome at once stood in front of Inuyasha embracing her incarnate. Shocked, she felt all feeling fall away as if water doused her body.  
  
With no emotion in her voice, Kagome responded, "I felt numb, as if I didn't exist at all."  
  
"Yes. Kagome come back." Nara called to her softly.  
  
Almost instantly Kagome felt again. She could hear the voices of those she loved wrap around her and pull her away from the precipice she hadn't known was there.  
  
"Kagome, your power centers on what is you, what you are. Everything you feel, you experience, everything you desire, all contributes to the reservoir of your energy. When you let go of those things that night, that reservoir had nothing to dam it. Your energy had no where to go, no where to release itself, so it overflowed into your subconscious and pulled you with it. That is why I warned you of how dangerous your feelings for Inuyasha were."  
  
"I see." Kagome became silent for a moment. "Then, what brought me back?"  
  
"That, I cannot tell you. You will find out soon. Kagome, I must warn you about your stay with Sesshoumaru."  
  
Kagome had slightly entered her own thoughts, but with the name of her soon to be lord, she was brought back to reality. She looked to Nara to show her attention.  
  
"What he has for you to do, you will not like." A small smile graced her features as she said this. "Know this, though, it is important for you to at least try to cooperate. His fate rests with you. It is a very dangerous task, and you need to be very careful when you are not with him."  
  
"What does he want me to do?"  
  
Nara smiled once again. "It is not my place to tell you."  
  
"So I can use the power now without fear of it attacking me again?"  
  
"Yes, just make sure you use your inner self to fuel your concentration and abilities."  
  
Kagome nodded in understanding.  
  
"I must go now, but one more thing before I leave. The chain I gave you..."  
  
Kagome subconsciously reached to her hair where the chain had been. Her face showed shock to feel it wasn't there anymore.  
  
Nara laughed when she saw Kagome's expression. "Don't worry, it is not supposed to be there."  
  
A bewildered face and eyes full of confusion met Nara's statement, and she laughed again.  
  
"Kagome, the chain has been absorbed into your body. No one is to know of its existence unless there is no other choice. It is for your protection."  
  
"What does it do?" Kagome asked, a little unnerved that a metal chain was now running around inside her. 'First the jewel was inside me, I finally get rid of that one, now a magic chain' she thought a bit sarcastically.  
  
"It will give you a transport if need be. If a situation arises that you need to get away from, and there is no other way. The chain will take you to wherever you want to go."  
  
"But how will I know how to use it?"  
  
"You will know when the time is right. I must go. Until next we meet, take care of yourself."

* * *

The week was passing by quickly. Inuyasha had come to see her after the normal three days time span, and everything was... less tense than their last meeting. He had given her his forgiveness, but he still acted rigid in her presence. She had given him a huge hug as he was about to leave, but he only half heartedly returned it.  
  
His attitude toward her saddened her, but she had plans with her friends the next day. She was looking forward to seeing Hojou. As funny as that sounded, she was actually really ready to change his feelings towards her. Because of this, she had accepted his offer to another date.  
  
It didn't take too long into the dinner with Hojou for Kagome to realize she REALLY didn't want to be there.  
  
It seems that Kagome can only control her own emotions, not others. Which really makes sense, you can't force someone to love or not to love.  
  
Which means: a two hour dinner with Hojou pining after her talking about all the new medical breakthroughs science has accomplished while she was 'sick in bed.' Then there was the movie that he tried to kiss her during. Yeah, that was bad, but, never fear, she conveniently had to bend down and scratch her ankle when he started to lean over towards her.  
  
Oh, and then there was the conversations with her friends about how badly she was treating Hojou for accepting his invitation on a date and then rejecting his further affections.  
  
And Eri's strange theory about only wanting Hojou to be a 'pet.' Really, a boy would never make a good pet, but they did find it funny that Kagome once had a crush on a guy with 'dog' in his name. (Inuyasha) This only added proof to their theory, in their minds. Kagome disagreed.  
  
Kagome was mortified at this theory, but it did make her think relationships. She decided that, for the time being, she didn't need a boy. Its not like she could do much, otherwise. She would be in Feudal Japan. She couldn't just bring a boy home five hundred years in the future. Yes, she decided that it was best to leave romance in modern times and pick up the pursuit when things had a semblance of the norm. (A/N: not in the cards, honey)  
  
Things with her family were about normal. She and Souta picked at each other as brothers and sisters do, but when it came down to it, they both knew how much they loved their sibling.  
  
Her grandfather was amazed at the healing abilities Kagome displayed when Souta tripped down the last of the shrine steps and had cuts all up and down his legs.  
  
Kagome treasured her mother's home cooked meals for a week, then it was time to go back. She was all packed, but she was really nervous. She didn't want Sesshoumaru to know the well was a portal to her realm, so she decided to head back a bit early. She hoped he would find her at the village and not wonder about her scent around the well.

* * *

At dawn on her last day in her time, Kagome emerged on the other side of the well, brining two bags with her.  
  
She groaned slightly while trowing the heavier of her bags over the rim of the well. Then she casually tossed the second over onto the first.  
  
When she traveled with Inuyasha, she always only carried her yellow pack, but if she was going to stay for a while with the taiyoukai, she wanted some of her personal items with her to keep her memories fresh. Plus, while traveling, she packed as little as possible to make the pack lighter, but if she would be staying in one place, she might as well pack what she wanted.  
  
She climbed out, brushed herself off, and picked up both bags. When she turned around, pack over both shoulder and a black bag looped over only one, Sesshoumaru was standing there staring at her, emotionless as always.  
  
She almost jumped out of her skin. She was NOT expecting him to be there this early; in fact, she was praying he wouldn't be, but here he was.

* * *

Sesshoumaru tracked her scent until he reached the village she normally spent time in, but the trail didn't end here. It was faint, a week old, but his nose was extremely sensitive.  
  
He followed the trail to an old well. The sun had yet to rise, but he could see clearly. When she spoke of magic protecting her village, he was curious. He wanted to know if the barrier around her home was strong enough to keep him out.  
  
'Highly unlikely.' But, with the abilities this girl possessed, he thought he needed to investigate things thoroughly.  
  
'This girl's power is immense compared to most, and she was only a female child. What capabilities might the adult males of her village have? And how many inhabited the village? Better yet, how many of these villages might there be? If there were several that slipped under the notice of demons, with very powerful humans thriving there, something needed to be done. These people could become a major threat if allowed to continue their activities unnoticed.'  
  
Because of this line of thinking, he arrived very early to see where this village lay, but there was no barrier that he could sense or smell. The only thing that marked where her scent disappeared was a decrepit well, but the well was infused with magic and her scent.  
  
'Is this village underground?' He looked over the rim of the well, but he saw earth which blocked passage.  
  
'That could easily be an illusion.' So he jumped into the well. He landed on solid ground. He had discovered nothing unusual about this well, but he had discerned for certain that this was where her scent disappeared. He decided to watch the well to find out what he could.  
  
He waited for about half an hour until he felt a rush of magic and saw a bluish light peering over the rim of the well.  
  
Then he smelled her. Her scent was fresh, as if she had just appeared out of thin air in the bottom of the well. He would have thought his senses deceiving him, but he heard faint noises coming from the wooden structure in front of him.  
  
Slight groans came as he saw a yellow bag thrown over the rim and onto the ground. A smaller black bag was tossed onto the first, and then he saw a hand on the rim. He watched, as the girl struggled to pull herself out of the well. Her back was to him as she picked up her bags, and when she turned to him, she saw her noticeably flinch.  
  
"You are early, Sesshoumaru." Kagome stated once she regained her composure.  
  
"I prefer to call it prompt." With that he turns and begins to walk towards the treeline. "Come, we must be on our way." He called back to her.

* * *

They walked all day, with only one stop when Kagome said she needed to eat.  
  
Light was about to fade completely away for the evening, and Kagome was about to throw something at the taiyoukai in front of her.  
  
Upset couldn't accurately describe how she felt, furious was more like it. She had tried on several occasions to speak to him, but every time she was met with silence. Once she even tried to get a rise out of him by berating him, but in response all he did was turn around to face her and glare viciously for a second before resuming his walk.  
  
It had been an extremely long day. She was bored out of her mind, and she grew angrier with every failed attempt to speak with him.  
  
By dusk, when they were to camp for the evening, she was ready to blow.  
  
"We'll stay here for the night." His monotone voice cut through the silence that had hung over the pair for hours.  
  
"Oh, so now you speak." Kagome answers as she walks to set her bags down by a tree. Her back and shoulders were screaming from the twelve hour day of carrying more than she's used to carrying, but she refused to complain, refused to show weakness.  
  
'Not to that arrogant jerk.'  
  
Her comment was met with slight narrowing of his eyes, but silence still tore at her.  
  
Kagome sat down and made a fire. When the fire had been built, she went to the stream to gather water; when she returned she made herself some ramen.  
  
The entire time she was doing these things, Sesshoumaru watched her. He had questions, and he wanted answers.  
  
When she had finally settled down with her meal, and he was satisfied that she would be still long enough to get his answers, he spoke to her.  
  
He had been staring at her since they had stopped traveling. She was doing anything and everything to keep from thinking about his intense gaze.  
  
'Great, now I'm angry AND unnerved. Stupid, arrogant..." but she was cut off when he spoke to her again.  
  
"At my father's grave, during the battle with Naraku, why did you do nothing?"  
  
Kagome almost choked on her noodles. She was not expecting any noise, but his deep voice resonated through the clearing.  
  
'Is that why he's been treating me so differently than meetings we had in the past?' Kagome wondered to herself.  
  
She looked away from her meal to look at the youkai across from her. He was still staring her down, but his eyes were more narrow than usual.  
  
'Not very patient is he?' Kagome almost smirked at the thought of irritating him as much as he had done to her throughout the day. 'But he tomorrow might be more pleasant if I cooperate with him tonight.'  
  
Sesshoumaru was extremely upset by this point, though few would be able to tell. Finally he saw her draw a deep breath, and he assumed she was about to answer his question.  
  
"I was scared..." Kagome paused. She saw him give a dignified sniff and turn away from her, and she realized what he was thinking.  
  
"...not in the manner you are thinking, though. A short time before the final battle at your father's grave, the power within me overwhelmed me."  
  
She stopped to try to put into words what happened.  
  
"Something happened and I lost the hold I had over my energy. My own power attacked me. During to fight with Naraku, I had yet to figure out why this happened, because of that, I used my skills as little as possible. I reverted back to the bow and arrow as an outlet, and I only tapped into my power when it was direly needed. If you and Inuyasha had been in danger, I would have tried something, though I'm not sure what I could've done if Toukijin's and Tetsusaiga's attacks both failed to penetrate Naraku's barrier."  
  
"Do you know why that happened now?" His voice did not betray his curiosity.  
  
"It has been made clear to me now."  
  
"You will be able to use your abilities?" He needed to know if she would be able to access her power, otherwise, her death at his fortress would be imminent.  
  
"Yes."  
  
By this time, Kagome had finished her meal, and she desperately wanted to go take a bath. She knew she was sweaty, and she needed to work out the knots in her neck and shoulders.  
  
Sesshoumaru sensed her unrest and decided to ask his other questions later. He had gotten the information he needed for now. With her abilities, she might survive long enough to be useful to him.

* * *

Review Responses: if you want me to respond to a review you sent to me...Yeah, I need an email address.  
  
Hope you liked this chapter...Until Next Week! Syrinx


	16. Rules

Enchanted Orbs  
  
Chapter 15 Rules  
  
After a few moments of silence, Kagome realized the taiyoukai was done with his questions. Knowing this, she rose, grabbed her black bag, and walked in the direction of the river.  
  
She stripped to her undergarments and moved to the water; as soon as she stepped into the water she regretted it.  
  
She yelped when she realized how painfully cold the water was; she was only ankle deep, but she could feel her skin raise into bumps and she fought the need to shiver. The weather itself wasn't cold, but this stream must find its roots in the snow covered mountains in the distance.  
  
Kagome gritted her teeth and was about the plunged into the water, when she got an idea. Focusing on the heat within her body, Kagome produced several red spheres of light. She reached out to touch them, but the temperature caused her to pull her hand back.  
  
She smiled at a newly learned ability and sent the orbs into the river a bit upstream of the current. A few minutes passed, and soon she found herself bathing in a warm stream. A sigh escaped her lips as she felt the heated water breeze around her body, pulling all the tension from the muscles in her sore legs.  
  
She reached over and grabbed her bathing supplies from her bag, and walked to the middle of the river. After cleansing herself she left the river to retrieve her towel.  
  
After drying and dressing, she set down on the ground and began working out the knots in her mistreated shoulders. She had learned quickly, when traveling with Inuyasha, that her pack could be very abusive towards her neck and shoulders.  
  
After years of practice, she had become quite skilled at relieving the pain of muscles. After treating her upper back, she worked her fingers over her legs and feet. Tomorrow she would not even feel the ache of todays activities. While she was concentrating on her task, she realized she probably could have used her healing powers to replenish herself, but she decided against it. She had a feeling of pride that she could tend to herself without the use of magic.  
  
Kagome slipped her shoes on, grabbed her belongings and returned to the campsite.  
  
Sesshoumaru looked up at her entrance, but turned his gaze back to the fire shortly afterwards. He heard her rummaging in her bags, then a soft scent reached his nose.  
  
He looked at the girl in front of him. She had a salve of some sort in her hands and was applying it to her hands, legs, and feet.  
  
"What are you doing?" His bored voice asked as if he hadn't the slightest care.  
  
Kagome scrunched her brow in confusion, then realized what he was confused about. In all honesty, she would have applied her lotion by the riverside instead of in his presence, but she didn't want to have grass, rocks, leaves, and Kami knows what else sticking to her moist skin as she walked back.  
  
Now, though, she had to answer his questions.  
  
"Its nothing really, it just keeps the skin moist and soft. It can crack if..."  
  
"You have no need of that." He interrupted her. No doubt she was about to explain some trivial information that he had no need or desire to know.  
  
"huh?" Kagome articulately replied as she stopped working her lotion into her hands.  
  
"No one will believe the deceit if your hands are not rough."  
  
"What are you talking about? What deceit?"  
  
"The reason you are with me at this time."  
  
"Oh, that reminds me..." Kagome started, acquiring a somewhat menacing tone. "Why am I here anyways? What is your purpose of forcing me into your service?"  
  
"You will be one of my servants." He said in his usual flat tone.  
  
Silence loomed.  
  
"What?" Her low tone threatened immediate death is she had heard correctly.  
  
"One of my servants." He repeated annoyed.  
  
She held her peace for a moment trying to regain balance, but she failed miserably as she started.  
  
"You mean to tell me that you put a time limit on Naraku's demise and the jewel's completion, pulled me away from my family and friends, and threatened me into your service to be one of your SERVANTS?!?" Her voice escalated to a harsh pitch.  
  
"That is not all..." but his words were not allowed.  
  
"You arrogant jerk!! You made it out to seem that you didn't want my powers to be used against you. You said that you would rather kill me than let someone else use my powers...what do my powers have to do with SERVING you?" Anger dripped from the words that hung in the air for silent moments.  
  
He had to refrain from wincing at the volume and pitch of her voice. He had never really seen her angry before. Defiant, irritated, and frustrated? Yes, but never as furious as she was now.  
  
Sesshoumaru let her anger cool, or perhaps simmer, for a short time. 'Maybe I should try a different approach. I don't not wish to have a fruitless argument with her.'  
  
A strong and quiet voice broke through the silence. "Kagome..."  
  
Kagome was roused from her violent images of his death, when a soft voice that she had never heard from him called her name.  
  
He had rarely used her name, let allow addressed her so gently. Her lifted her eyes to him.  
  
'Well that worked very well.' Sesshoumaru registered a way to get her attention in the future. He also had to suppress a smirk at the awestruck look on her face.  
  
'She may look and sometime act like a warrior, but she can be easily won to my side just like any other woman.' He thought in a cocky manner, but he held his face expressionless and continued in a gentled voice.  
  
"That is not your sole purpose..." he knew she was listening, but he drew out the dramatic pause to make it appear he was hesitant to say what he was about to reveal.  
  
"...what I'm asking of you will be dangerous, that why I needed someone strong."  
  
'Did he just say he needed me?' Kagome was in shock. She had never seen him like this. Something didn't ring true, but then again their meetings in the clearing were much different than he normally acted also.  
  
"There are a few in my home that may not be trustworthy, and may have hidden agendas. I want you to go among the servants of my household and find out whom. Most demons think humans insignificant. They will not worry about hiding their activities among them because if a demon is found out to be traitorous by a human, who all too often aren't loyal to a demon lord, he or she can easily be killed."  
  
The words he spoke registered in her head, but she really didn't want to believe them. Yes, he was asking of her something she could do, but he wanted her to pose as a servant! She had never really submitted to anyone out of anything but respect, kindness, love, or friendship. How could she just drop that lifelong habit and serve demons that could very well be more arrogant and unlikable than the one in front of her now.  
  
"I need some one to find out that traitorous one in my household and survive long enough to tell me about it. Since you are strong enough to be a challenge to me, you are the most capable I have found."  
  
She did not like it. She did not want to do it, but her mind drifted back to what Nara had told her.  
  
She closed her eyes, grit her teeth, and "Fine. I'll do it."  
  
As her eyes were closed, a wicked gleam crossed Sesshoumaru's eyes. He fought the urge to smirk. This would be easier than he thought, and he knew he would enjoy ordering her around to compensate for the indignities he had suffered from her.  
  
"I'm tired I'm going to sleep." Kagome resigned to her fate and retired to her sleeping bag.

* * *

Kikyou and Inuyasha had been training, testing themselves.  
  
Inuyasha could now reach a distance of about twenty feet from her without having to fight is demonic side.  
  
He was not scared of losing control anymore. The rosary was strong enough to subdue him long enough for Kikyou to move close enough for him to grasp onto his human soul.  
  
It was challenging, but he was slowly learning to fight the powerful inuyoukai blood now coursing in full potency through him.  
  
He was faster, stronger. He was now everything he had always dreamed of being, but now he just longed for the ability to grasp the sword he had relied on for so long. All of the abilities he had acquired, all those things he found himself. No one needed to teach him how, he just instinctively knew what to do with it. Because of that, he felt that the Tetsusaiga was a trusted friend, but no more.  
  
When he had thrown it at Kagome's feet, he didn't expect to feel a wrench in his heart as he saw it rejecting him. He did not expect to feel helpless with it falling in a clattering heap on the ground.  
  
Now the sword hung in Kaede's hut, Kagome insisted that he keep it for his first child. He had winced at this statement, but the more he thought about it, the more he liked the suggestion.  
  
He and Kikyou still had some major issues to resolve, but one day he hoped to be able to pass down the sword. A smile crossed his face as he thought of how he would be able to teach his son how to wield the legendary fang of Inutaisho.  
  
"Inuyasha, what is distracting you?" Kikyou said in a gentle tone as she approached him.  
  
Startled from his day dream, he looked to the first woman who had stolen his heart. She was still as he remembered her. She was the sad, strong woman that he had once fallen for and vowed to protect.  
  
The sadness was leaving, but he knew she was scared to allow herself to be happy. One who was always subject to loneliness and dignity would have to gradually slip into the idea that she may experience joy.  
  
A smile crossed his face as she was waiting for his answer. He walked to her, let his arms find their way around her waist, and whispered in her ear. "You."  
  
Her eyes widened slightly at his open affections and gentle word. Her miko senses were screaming that a dangerous demon was too close to her, but she would no longer listen. She knew he would not hurt her physically, but she was afraid of the emotional torment that she had experienced once.  
  
She slowly lifted her arms to accept him as he nuzzled his head in her hair. She was scared, but she could get used to this.  
  
She would have to get used to it. She was bound to him. She did not feel any resentment from that, though she probably should have.  
  
She was even forced to go to her reincarnation's world when Inuyasha went to speak to Kagome. That future world was more than a little unnerving, but she would not deny her duty.  
  
If Inuyasha went there without her, many would die. Well, maybe not. Kagome was much stronger now, but she, herself, had almost been killed trying to bring him back to his senses. Kikyou would not risk innocent lives with him. She would stay with him.  
  
Maybe one day she would learn to accept her love of him.

* * *

"Get up. It is time to go." His rough voice woke her from her sleep.  
  
With a groan, she rolled over to see piercing gold gazing at her. Reaching into her yellow pack, she grabbed a tank top and some jeans and dressed herself underneath the cover of her bag. She hadn't packed her uniform because she knew it would be a while before she returned home.  
  
Jeans, though hot in the afternoon heat, protected her legs from brambles and thorns.  
  
She got out of her bag, rolled it up, and stuffed it into her yellow pack. She went to the river to wash her face and brush her teeth, then headed back to the demon lord.  
  
"I'm ready."

* * *

They had been walking for several hours. The sun was climbing to the apex of the sky when Sesshoumaru stopped.  
  
He turned to her and sat at the base of a tree.  
  
He had waited long enough. He wanted more answers; though she didn't seem tired, he figured she wouldn't complain about the break.  
  
"Tell me about your village."  
  
Kagome realized he must have really wanted to know if he hadn't waited until they camped at night like he had yesterday.  
  
"What would you like to know?"  
  
Sesshoumaru scowled slightly at her. She would only answer his questions, not supply excess information. 'Very well then, we will play your way. For now.'  
  
"How big is it?"  
  
She thought for a moment. 'He will be really unsettled if I told him it was a world instead of a village, but that might not be a good thing.'  
  
"Well, I'm not sure how many people are there. It is big enough that I do not know everyone there. Everyday I'm there I see people I've never met before."  
  
Her village was bigger than expected, but it was not uncommon to have villages like that in his lands. Even large villages were easily destroyed, but what of the power her people hold?  
  
"Are your people like you?"  
  
"What do you mean 'like me?' Powerful?"  
  
He nodded slightly at her question.  
  
"Yes and no. I haven't heard of any one with the abilities that I have, but I really don't let anyone there know of my power."  
  
His confusion was evident. "Why would you hide your power?"  
  
A deep sigh escaped her lips. "It is very different there. Power is not measured by strength, but by accomplishments. We have weapons that protect us, but those are not used much. My power would make people fear me, maybe even attack me because they would not understand it."  
  
"If you are more powerful than they why..."  
  
"I do not know if I could protect myself. Plus, I do not want to attack them."  
  
'She couldn't protect herself?' How powerful are her people?  
  
"Hnn" He made a note to resolve this after he had regained a firm hold on his subjects. He stood and assumed the pace he was walking earlier.  
  
Kagome rose and followed, but her thoughts were far from the path she walked.  
  
Kagome knew he would not ask her questions without purpose. Why did he have an interest? Did he want more land to conquer? No, he was already having problems within his home. In all likelihood, he didn't like the fact that there were a people of which he did not know the existence. Unless...did he feel threatened by it?  
  
"Sesshoumaru, do you feel threatened by my people?"  
  
He stopped dead in his tracks and turned a menacing glare on her. "This Sesshoumaru is threatened by no one."  
  
"Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru." She immediately regretted her question when his eyes burned through her, but, against her better judgment, she continued. "Its really very interesting. No one in my village knows of the existence of any one in this world. Everything that happens here is held in legend where I'm from. I didn't believe it myself when I first fell through the well."  
  
With that statement, silence began its reign again. Sesshoumaru was puzzled with her words. How would people not know, but he could not smell any change in her scent to suggest a lie was spoken.

* * *

That evening, Kagome noticed, they stopped earlier than the night before.  
  
As was custom, Sesshoumaru opened up another conversation. "I must speak to you of the rules."  
  
"Rules?"  
  
"You are to be disguised as a servant and because of that, you must follow the rules of servants. You would raise suspicion if you did not."  
  
He could almost hear her brow furrow in thought and irritation. 'Indeed. This would be fun.'  
  
"You are not to speak to anyone unless spoken to. Since you will be one of the newest additions to the staff, you may be subject to harassment. Blind submission is the only way to avoid it in the future. If you stand up for yourself or even look someone in the eye it will be a challenge that you are not up to."  
  
He let the words sink in for a moment; then he continued. "Human female servants usually do not survive long in my household. You are to stay out of sight as much as possible; otherwise your lifespan alone will raise suspicion. You will report to me everyday on your activities. The first few days, I will be monitor your movements and suggest appropriate actions in response, but after that you will need to move on your own. Only when I'm not there will you be able to glean information."  
  
Nervousness seeped into her veins. "Why will you monitor me? I can take care of myself."  
  
"No, you cannot. You are not to use your power in attack unless someone is intentionally trying to kill you because of your knowledge. If you are threatened, use trickery or illusion to escape notice. I am fully aware of your capability in those areas. There are also some passages which I can show you to escape if need."  
  
She remained silent.  
  
"Now I need to teach you some things. Before you cast any spells you need to suppress your scent. The magic leaves a residue scent in the air. As powerful as you are, any demon will know what happened. Do you know how to do this?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Good. Next you need to suppress your aura. Yours is much larger than normal humans."  
  
She remained silent. She looked inward and found her shining aura flowing around her. Forcibly, she withdrew it inside her.  
  
"No, that is too much. Leave it partially visible. Only very powerful beings can fully suppress their aura. It will not do for others to know you have this ability."  
  
She loosened her hold on her aura slightly.  
  
"That will do. Also, demons with a strong sense of smell can detect when you lie. So if someone is questioning you, it may be necessary for you to disguise that smell, with your own. Can you do this?"  
  
Kagome was hesitant to answer. She didn't know what she smelled like, how could she cover a lie with a smell she didn't know? Maybe she could just hold onto her body's responses and not allow the changes to occur.  
  
"I'm not sure"  
  
"We will try that tomorrow with your illusions. Go to sleep. We will arrive tomorrow evening."

* * *

"Is this better?"  
  
"I can still easily see through your illusion."  
  
Kagome gave a frustrated sigh. How on earth did he not see through her illusions in the forest, if he can see through them now? Oh, yeah. Her feelings fuel her power, and then, she was scared out of her mind. The kitsune illusion must have been very powerful.  
  
She let the illusion go, and she appeared in front of him in her abnormal attire.  
  
Kagome added her frustration and irritation into her concentration and attempted again.  
  
Sesshoumaru saw her shimmer slightly and reappear in a normal servant's attire. The bags over her shoulder disappeared completely.  
  
He focused his energy into seeing through her spell. He could see the disruptions around her, but could not through it.  
  
"That will do. We will arrive at night. If all is according to plan, a new set of servants arrived this afternoon. No one should notice your late arrival. Every morning at dawn you will bring a pitcher of water to me in the dojo under pretenses of serving me. This is where you will report to me on the events of the day."  
  
They arrived in the middle of the night. He showed her to the room she would be occupying, and left her to her rest.

* * *

Kagome did not want to rise with the sun. She only got a few hours sleep. "But the master calls..." she bit out harshly.  
  
She rose and dressed herself, suppressed her aura, and found her way to the kitchen.  
  
When she finally found her way to the dojo, Sesshoumaru was waiting impatiently for her.  
  
"You are late." He stated as the solid door shut behind her.  
  
"I was lost." She retorted.  
  
"You forget, do not speak unless spoken to."  
  
"Look, Lord Sesshoumaru," She made sure he knew she was being sarcastic with her respectful title. "You and I both know that I am not your slave. I will not be treated like one when we are alone. Now what did you want of me? I have not even been here a day; surely you do not expect me to have a report for you as of yet."  
  
"I am bored, so you will train with me." He erected a barrier around the dojo as he usually did whilst training.  
  
"What?" Kagome answered in a harsh tone.  
  
"Defend yourself." He warned; then he disappeared.

* * *

Yes, yes, I know. This was a really boring chapter, it was only meant to be a bridge into the household activities. BUT evil laugh now is when the fun stuff starts. The action will definitely pick up in the next chapter. Til next week Syrinx 


	17. Encounters with the Generals

Enchanted Orbs  
  
Chapter 16  
  
Last time: Encounters with the Generals  
  
"I am bored, so you will train with me." He erected a barrier around the dojo as he usually did whilst training.  
  
"What?" Kagome answered in a harsh tone.  
  
"Defend yourself." He warned; then he disappeared.  
  
'Oh no!' By the time she collected herself and was about to go defense mode, she was slammed against the wall of the dojo with a hand around her neck. The walls shook with the force of her collision; she could feel the bruises forming on the round of her spine and bottom.  
  
'Ouch!' She inwardly groaned. Her eyes snapped open and glared at the lord who was still holding her above the ground by her neck.  
  
"And I thought you'd be a challenge." He said almost despondently as he dropped her.  
  
She brought herself upright and shot him an icy look. "If you would give me a bit more warning I will be!" She retorted hotly.  
  
"An enemy will never warn you before he attacks."  
  
"Yes, but being in the presence of an enemy or a stranger, would serve as the warning. You, on the other hand, are not my enemy; therefore, I wasn't prepared for your attack." She bit out dousing the flames of his insults with her logic.  
  
He narrowed his eyes at her but nodded slightly acknowledging her point. "Fine. When you are in the dojo, I am your enemy. I am attempting to kill you. Is this sufficient warning?" He said in a condescending tone.  
  
Kagome crouched a bit. She had no clue if this actually helped, but she had seen fighters in movies do this. She focused and pulled her power into her hands. There was no way she'd be able to dodge his attacks, so she'd have to find a way to block them.  
  
He saw her prepare herself and watched her expression as she concentrated on something. 'Maybe she's formulating a strategy. I hope so; it'll make victory so much sweeter.' He thought with a smirk.  
  
'He's too fast to watch him with my eyes.' She reached out and latched onto his aura. She could feel it withdraw as he was still.  
  
"Are you ready?"  
  
"Yes." She felt his aura spike and prepared for his strike. 'THERE!' She felt the aura lash out towards her right side. She moved her hand to block his attack.  
  
A violet disc appeared before her hand. Sesshoumaru's hand struck a solid surface, but it wasn't flesh. He saw that she had used her power to form a solid shield to prevent his punch from hitting its mark.  
  
He brought his left hand up towards her face. She felt his aura peek again. She tilted her body backwards away from the strike and held up her left hand to further prevent him from reaching her.  
  
He felt his palm hit solid surface again. He could smell the adrenaline running through her and knew this fight would be interesting.  
  
He was about to reposition himself for another attack when he felt his hands burning. The violet had turned pink and was now purifying his fingers.  
  
He almost snarled at himself for staying in one place too long. He had allowed her time to think about what to do. 'Which is obviously a bad thing.'  
  
He withdrew across the room and waited a few seconds for the minor burns on his fingers to heal. He drew Toukijin and gave the girl a chance to see the weapon of his next attack.  
  
The pink spheres in front of her hands lengthened to appear as swords. She held her ground and waited for his attack. It came quicker than she expected but she managed to block his first slice with both hands. 'He's too strong. I don't think I can do close quarter fighting very long. I have to put some distance between us.'  
  
He watched as sparks flew between her energy swords and Toukijin. The evil sword recoiled from her purity; Sesshoumaru funneled his energy into his weapon, and allowed the sword to continue fighting for superiority.  
  
A dark wave flashed over the crossed swords. Kagome's eyes widened as one of her weapons cracked. 'Not good!'  
  
She pushed back with her own power enough to create some distance between them. She dropped the other sword, leapt to the side, and sent several violet discs at him, forcing him to dodge them.  
  
He dodged them easily and attacked again. Kagome erected a barrier around herself, but she didn't expect what he did next.  
  
With the hand not holding his sword, he created his energy whip. With a flick of his wrist, the barrier shattered.  
  
The next thing she knew, Kagome had a sword at her throat. 'Something tells me this might be a common position in the future.' She thought sarcastically. 'No, I'll think of something. Next time will be different.'  
  
"At least you lasted longer this time." He stated in his bored tone.  
  
"You sound disappointed Sesshoumaru. I know you didn't want to lose, so why? She asked naively.  
  
"I was hoping for a challenge."  
  
Kagome's anger flared. 'Ooohhh, that jerk!'  
  
They fought for several hours. Each spar lasted longer than the one before, but every one ended with the same result. Kagome lost, whether it was trapped against the wall or floor with a hand posed for the kill or a sword held at her neck or back.  
  
Sesshoumaru had never been so amused when fighting. He never really had a training partner; his mentor was a hard taskmaster that allowed for no mistakes. Sparring was never something he had a chance to do; everything was 'be perfect' or the lesson ended in much pain, which is how it usually ended for him. That is until one day when he defeated his mentor. That was when his lessons ended. He continued to train, but alone. When fighting others it was kill or be killed.  
  
Until now he had never really trained with any level of fun. Plus, he secretly reveled in the frustrated faces she would make when her plans where foiled.  
  
It was pretty easy to see where she would take her attacks, meaning he could easily see through what she was planning, but he played along anyway. When she would spring her attack, he had already thought of a way out of it  
  
He watched as shock plastered across her features, then frustration, then anger. After the anger her aura would spike in power. It was always the same. He should have become bored with it repetition, but he found himself anticipating the next round. With every passing fight, the intensity grew, and he had to push himself harder to defeat her. Yes, it was safe to say he was enjoying himself immensely.  
  
She was exhausted. Battered and beaten with minor cuts here and there, she just wanted to find somewhere to soak. She would beat him; she was determined, but not right now. He didn't even seem phased with the massive amounts of energy they were consuming with their mock-battles, but she would not admit that she was tired.  
  
"Phew. Kami, I stink; is there a place I can bathe without drawing attention to myself?"  
  
He nodded and turned. He walked towards the door of the dojo but stopped. "You'll need to create an illusion and cover your scent. You look like just ran from the Eastern Lord's manor." He said with his flat tone, but he knew she would take the goad.  
  
"Well, excuse me. I will try not to overexert myself next time we spar." She said with a sarcastic bite.  
  
He regarded her with silence and removed the barrier around the dojo. As he walked out, the guard bowed to his lord.  
  
Kagome, holding a tray with the pitcher of water, followed Sesshoumaru until he stopped in front of a door.  
  
She watched as he closed his eyes; she saw his aura peak and sniff the air slightly.  
  
"Cover your scent, withdraw your aura completely, and disappear." He commanded.  
  
She nodded, and she complied.  
  
He opened the door and led her down a long hallway. At the end of the hallway were two more doors.  
  
"The one on the right is where you may bathe undisturbed. Whenever you come down this way you must disappear completely. The door on your left is not to be entered on any condition. Understood?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"When you leave this hallway, make sure you use your senses to thoroughly check your surroundings before you open the entrance door. Others can withdraw their auras as well, so make sure it is a detailed inspection before leaving."  
  
With those words he left.  
  
She soaked for a while and worked some of the knots out of her drooping shoulders. Her stomach growled to remind her she hadn't eaten for quite some time and it was late afternoon. She and Sesshoumaru had spent an awful span of time in the heat of battle, and she needed to replenish precious energy.  
  
She found a robe waiting on the side of the baths; it was huge. She felt like a little kid wearing her father's robe, but, 'It'll have to do.'  
  
She dried off and put it on. She hid herself completely, aura, scent, and image, and walked down the hallway. No one was around, so she walked out.  
  
'Now where was my room again?' She thought a bit worried.  
  
She encountered several people in the halls, but no one saw her. She was still desperately trying to find her rooms, but she couldn't stop and ask directions in a robe.  
  
She was walking past several soldiers when her stomach decided to make itself known. It growled, and the men tensed. They looked at each other; both knew it wasn't the other.  
  
Kagome watched in horror as their auras spiked and they drew their swords. She froze. 'What do I do? If my stomach growls again, I'm a goner!"  
  
With her fear to fuel her power, she sent white orb down the hallway away from her and behind them.  
  
The guards saw the light, one said, "You follow that, I'll stay and find out where it came from."  
  
'Crap! That didn't work, and now he knows where I am since he saw the origin of the sphere! Think, Kagome, think!'  
  
Thinking flew out the window as he took a step towards her, gazing straight at where she stood. She turned and ran.  
  
He heard the footsteps and ran after her. She turned the corner quickly, and created an image of a nasty looking demon running down the hallway. The guard tore around the corner and continued following her image.  
  
She calmed her racing heart. 'That was too close, but he obviously wasn't the smartest if he didn't notice that the sound of the footsteps disappeared.'  
  
She turned around and bumped into someone. 'Oh NO! There's no way out of this one!' She turned slowly to look into the eyes of the person who would probably kill her.  
  
"At this rate you won't last very long." Sesshoumaru stated condescendingly to, from the viewpoint of any by passer, empty air.  
  
"Oh, thank Kami! I'm lost." She sighed in relief, completely ignoring his statement.  
  
He rolled his eyes at her ignorance. "Follow me."  
  
On the way there, her stomach growled again. At that point, he knew what had happened.

* * *

He had been on his way to his study when he saw a demon he didn't recognize tear around the corner, it shimmered slightly and he knew it was an image that Kagome had created. He cleanly sliced through it, and it disappeared. He conjured an image of bloody gore to subdue the guard who he could hear nearing.  
  
Then he immediately went to find the troublesome girl. She was invisible to him, her aura couldn't be found, but his couldn't mistake the sound of her heart pounding in her chest.

* * *

He turned and led her to the servants' quarters. He flicked his wrist to the side, indicating where her room was, and continued down the hallway.  
  
She quickly entered room, changed, and headed towards the kitchen  
  
When she got there, a woman that had many frown lines etched into her aged face gave her a slight glare.  
  
"Where have you been?"  
  
"Many pardons, ma'am. I was in the dojo with our lord." She said with her eyes directed towards the ground.  
  
"Very well. You missed the servant's meal, but I haven't thrown out the left over food yet."  
  
For that, Kagome was very grateful. She took some food and dropped to her knees in front of a low table.  
  
After her meal, she excused herself with the excuse of tending to the gardens. She hid herself again and began exploring the grounds.  
  
Her tasks had been set up specifically so she would be around those Sesshoumaru suspected of treachery. This means she was assigned to serve meals to some of the higher officers. She had nothing to do until evening.  
  
'I got in trouble when I was lost, so I need to better acquaint myself with my surroundings.' She spent the day learning the layout of Sesshoumaru's home.  
  
That evening she reported to the kitchen to pick up the food for the generals. She knew the layout of the fortress, but that didn't mean she knew where they took their meals. She asked the lady from that afternoon, who, she assumed, was the cook.  
  
"General Shouron takes his meal in his room. It is the large room at the far end of the soldiers' quarters on the other side of the grounds. When you've brought him his meal, return here, and I will give you the meals of the other generals."  
  
She took the tray and walked across the grounds. When she reached the area she knew was the soldiers' quarters, she hurriedly walked down the long corridor.  
  
She was thoroughly unnerved by the men. Some leered at her with intentions that she could tell were not so innocent; others glared at her, 'Probably because I'm human. Racist jerks who...' but she was cut off when she reached the large double doors that she figured to be General Shouron's room.  
  
She took a deep breath and raised her hand to knock on the door, but before she did she heard, "Come in."  
  
She silently pushed open the heavy doors. She had a bit of difficulty doing it with one hand, and she almost dropped the tray.  
  
The general looked up at the girl who entered. His eyes flashed in amusement as the girl struggled to recover her balance against the heavy doors while leveling the tray to prevent its contents from being prayed across the room.  
  
As she took a deep breath and steadied her hands, she heard, "Well done."  
  
She looked up a bit shocked to hear the deep bass voice praising her. He saw the confusion in her eyes and then decided to explain.  
  
"Most servants, upon the first time entering my quarters, make an awful mess."  
  
"Then why...?" but she quickly dropped her head and prayed he would forgive her outburst.  
  
He laughed. "I guess you're very new to the servant role. You may speak freely with me, I do not enjoy domineering over servants." He cracked a mischievous smile. "The soldiers, on the other hand..."  
  
She realized she had not served him his meal, and quickly walked over to the low table. She dropped to her knees gracefully and began unloading the contents of the tray.  
  
He watched her. There was something amiss with this girl. He couldn't put his finger on it. So he tried to find out.  
  
"What is your name?"  
  
"Kagome, sir."  
  
"Sir, what is this word?"  
  
'CRAP! I slipped!'  
  
He saw her eyes widen when he asked his question. Then she quickly regained her composure. 'That's it. She has an air of confidence which is absent in servants, yet she's in the room with a demon. I need to watch her more closely. She's hiding something.'  
  
"Forgive me, my lord. It is a title of respect in my village."  
  
He didn't see any fidgeting of her uncomfort, no change in her scent, so he assumed she told the truth.  
  
"Your village?" He saw her stiffen slightly. 'A topic which makes her uneasy.'  
  
"Yes, my lord, it is outside of Inuyasha's Forest." She quickly stated a partial truth.  
  
"I see. I have never traveled there, so I unfamiliar with the term."  
  
She bowed her head. "Forgive me, I shall not use the term in your presence again." She stated a bit too meekly for her liking, but, 'I will do what I must.'  
  
"Tell me, Kagome, how long have you been a servant?"  
  
"This is my first role, my lord." She said, still not making eye contact.  
  
"A dangerous place to start out. Many will not like your attitude."  
  
Her head shot up to look at him. Her first glance at the general showed him leaning against a wall with his arms crossed over his chest.  
  
His hair was a brilliant gold pulled into a high ponytail on top of his head. Glowing blue eyes matched hers. A royal blue stripe slanted down his right cheek like a tear's trail. (from the inside corner of his eye across his cheek)  
  
He had on green garbs that resembled Sesshoumaru's except for the color and designs of forest green leaves trailing down his sleeves, curling around the trim.  
  
"See that's what I mean. A woman should never look a man in the eyes, let alone a servant woman." He said amused.  
  
Her eyes narrowed then widened. She quickly dropped her head. "Forgive me, my lord."  
  
'Her eyes...are blue? How strange, and she was angry with me. Why? I only speak the truth.'  
  
"Relax, I will not speak of your attitude towards me, but I suggest you not even speak around Aishi. He would kill you for any semblance of disrespect."  
  
"Yes, my lord."  
  
"You are dismissed."  
  
She stood to leave, but he called out to stop her.  
  
"Are you the one who will bring my meal to me tomorrow evening?"  
  
"Yes, my lord."  
  
"Good. Do not address me as 'lord' in my private quarters."  
  
"Then what title do you wish?"  
  
His lips curved slightly. "General Shouron will do."  
  
She nodded and left the room.  
  
His eyes followed her retreat. 'How interesting. I like her, she has spirit. I hope she lives through her encounter with Aishi.'  
  
Kagome returned to the kitchen as she was told, and she gathered the meals for the next two generals. General Rokoshi and General Samon took their meals in the dining hall with the other soldiers. She tended to them if they needed full pitchers or desired a different course. Nothing eventful happened. She did as she was told and kept her eyes trained to the floor.  
  
She returned to the kitchen once more after she was done serving Rokoshi and Samon. She picked up the last tray, received directions to Aishi's quarters, and went on her way.  
  
She received permission to enter and did so. Keeping her gaze trained to the ground, she waited for him to acknowledge her presence before kneeling to unload his meal onto the table.  
  
When she was done, she stood and moved towards the door, but a harsh voice interrupted her.  
  
"I didn't say you could leave, wench."  
  
Kagome's eyes narrowed with his 'petname' for her, but with eyes downcast Aishi did not see her anger.  
  
"Forgive my insolence, my lord."  
  
"I didn't say you could talk either. You have insulted me, and for this I would kill you..." His voice trailed off a bit as Kagome got a bad feeling of warning.  
  
"...but you are a pretty little thing. It's a pity to kill such a beauty." He said silkily. He walked over to her; he ran his fingers through a portion of her hair, and lifted the strands to his nose.  
  
"Mmm, you smell sweet, too my dear. Maybe I will just punish you instead of taking your life. On your knees, wench." His tone changed from sly to demanding.  
  
She saw his hands go to loosen his armor. 'No! I will do no such thing. Sesshoumaru be damned!'  
  
Her aura flared dangerously with her anger. She knew she should keep it in check, but that was something she couldn't care less about for the time being.  
  
He felt something strange, but he wasn't paying attention to his senses that warned him of the danger the girl posed. She was only human, and a servant at that, so she would serve him, 'Or, shall we say, pleasure me.'  
  
"I gave you an order wench. On your knees!"

* * *

Rage filled him; he had felt Kagome's aura from across the grounds. He knew something was happening. So he flew with all the speed he possessed to the girl.  
  
When he arrived, he heard what Aishi was demanding her to do. He didn't know why this upset him like it did, but he didn't have time to analyze it. He knew Kagome was about to blow her cover by killing the general in front of her, so he quickly entered Aishi's quarters.

* * *

"I must speak with you."  
  
Aishi's head snapped up. He was enraged that the lord had interrupted him, but he had to back down. He turned to face Sesshoumaru, and he bowed to his lord.  
  
"What brings you here, now, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Aishi asked barely restraining the spite in his voice.  
  
Sesshoumaru looked straight at Kagome. "Leave."  
  
She hadn't been looking at anything but the ground, but she knew to who he was talking. 'And there's no one short of Kami himself that could keep me in there with that...that...thing any longer.' She thought bitterly as she bowed and escaped.  
  
"I have a miscalculation in my timeframe. When will the next set of my legions arriving?"  
  
"In two weeks time my lord."  
  
"Exact day."  
  
"Two weeks and five days, my lord."  
  
"Good, will the current legion be ready by then?"  
  
"It is my belief, my lord."  
  
"I want a full status report in two days."  
  
"Yes, my lord."  
  
With that said, Sesshoumaru turned to leave, but at the door he stopped.  
  
"It is a disgrace to defile yourself with a human, Aishi."  
  
"Yes, my lord, but they are much softer than any demoness." He said with an evil smile.  
  
Sesshoumaru left to find Kagome. 


	18. Trouble

Enchanted Orbs  
  
Chapter 17 Trouble  
  
'THAT BASTARD!! I can't believe he wanted me to...no EXPECTED me to...' She shuddered as he remembered his command.  
  
Kagome was completely undetectable as she walked down the hall towards the dojo.  
  
'I don't care what time it is; I need to blow stuff up!' She thought with a twinge of sadness when she recalled that that's what Souta would say when frustrated right before he excused himself to his videogames.  
  
She approached the door to the dojo and stopped when she saw a guard posted there. 'How stupid. Who would post a guard at the entrance to a training room?' Kagome thought unknowingly echoing Sesshoumaru's earlier thoughts.  
  
She couldn't just open the door and walk in. She may be hidden but the soldier would definitely notice something like that. 'Well, I'm pretty upset, so I have tons of power at my disposal right now. Maybe...,' she thought as she inched around the guard towards the door.  
  
There was about two feet of space between the guard's back and the door. She concentrated and brought her hand to the door. Moments later her hand was sinking through the solid door as if she were a ghost.  
  
'Score one for Kagome!' She thought as she emerged on the other side of the door. She was proud of the trick she just learned until she remembered why she came here in the first place.  
  
'Now how to erect a barrier that no one will notice?'  
  
She stuck her head through the dojo door to look at the guard. She combined her power to suppress her scent to a barrier and posted it over the hallway. The barrier would allow people to walk through, but they would not be able to smell anything for a second as they walked past the dojo door.  
  
'Stupid demons.' She huffed grudgingly. 'At least I can rob them of their sense of smell for a second.'  
  
She watched amused as the guard in front of her began sniffing the air. His face adopted a very worried expression as he brought in a deeper breath trying desperately to catch a scent of something, anything.  
  
She brought herself back into the dojo, erected a power barrier so no one would notice the influx of power that she would soon unleash.  
  
Kagome closed her eyes and began compressing her power into violet discs; she infused those with her purification powers and began spreading her landmines throughout the dojo.  
  
She began training in them. Doing leaps and running, she practiced moving the orbs with her so she wouldn't be harmed next time she used them.  
  
Sesshoumaru couldn't find her. He thought she would just retreat to her rooms, but a quick scent in that direction told him otherwise.  
  
Her aura was no where to be found. 'Where is that cursed girl?'  
  
He walked past the dojo, but movement out of the corner of his eye stopped him.  
  
He watched as his guard, with a horrified expression on his face, was breathing in so deeply he was bound to hyperventilate.  
  
"What are you doing?" Sesshoumaru asked exasperated.  
  
The guard, who had just now noticed his lord's arrival, quickly bowed and mumbled apologies.  
  
"I asked you a question."  
  
"My nose...I-I can't smell anything sir!" The guard said as if his voice was about to crack.  
  
Sesshoumaru scented the air. 'I can't smell anything as well.' He thought quickly. He focused on his mystic senses and felt out Kagome's barrier. 'Interesting, but first I must deal with this imbecile.'  
  
"You are dismissed. Go to your quarters. I will find someone else to guard the door for the time being."  
  
"Y-yes, my lord." The guard quickly walked a few steps, but he paused on the other side of the barrier. He took in a deep breath then donned a look of utter confusion.  
  
Sesshoumaru spared him a bored glance and raised an eyebrow at the soldier.  
  
The guard shook his head and continued down the hall.  
  
Sesshoumaru turned back to the door. Her barrier was powerful, but it only took him a second to break through it. He replaced it with one of his own and entered the dojo.  
  
The girl was standing in the middle of the room with her pink weapons all around her. He walked towards her, but her voice called out to him.  
  
"I wouldn't come any closer if I were you, Sesshoumaru."  
  
She might have been a source of entertainment for him every morning, but this in no way gave her a right to order him around in his manor.  
  
"I give the orders, not you, wench."  
  
He began walking towards her again; he stopped right before the field of orbs surrounding her began. He watched as the orb nearest him flickered from pink to purple. He narrowed his eyes when he felt the power being emitted from it.  
  
"Fine, suit yourself, but its dangerous." Kagome said as she began twisting the lights around her again.  
  
They flew around her faster and faster until a wind picked up from their speed. The wind caught Sesshoumaru's garbs which drifted into her whirlpool.  
  
She realized too late what happened. One of the orbs touched the silk and exploded sending purification energy and shards of solid energy everywhere.  
  
Horrified about what would happen if Sesshoumaru was caught in her purified energy, she threw up a shield for him after the first blast.  
  
Kagome was not harmed by the purification wave, but the shards were slicing through her easily. The shards hit other orbs and set those off. Blast after blast was set off, combining into a colossal explosion.  
  
After about the third blast, Kagome was in tortuous pain, through the haze she managed to try to throw up another shield for herself. Their was so much of her power being thrown around the room, that the barrier was not as strong as it needed to be. Occasionally, shards would pierce it, and shards would rip through more of her skin.  
  
By the time the light receded, Sesshoumaru was dumbstruck, though one couldn't tell by his face. He had burns on several spots on his skin, and blood trailing from many cuts, both shallow and deep, on his body, but otherwise no major damage. No harm that a few days time wouldn't heal.  
  
He looked over to where he had last seen Kagome. She was in much worse condition. She was on her knees struggling to breath. The smell of her blood was extremely strong; he saw her fall over.  
  
He moved to her side; she was still conscious but close to losing the battle.  
  
There was another problem. The barrier he had posted was destroyed by the power blast, and he could feel his four generals on the way.  
  
He had very little time.  
  
"Kagome, can you heal yourself?" He asked as he picked her up and took her to a corner.  
  
She tried to focus her eyes on him, but they weren't working properly. "I think so." She said meekly.  
  
"Good. Do so and stay very quiet." He laid her down, covered her with a spell, and disguised her scent. He added another scent depressing spell to mask the abundant smell of her blood, and an illusion was added to hide most of the blood.  
  
After doing so, he felt completely drained. 'Her attack must have been stronger than I thought if I had to use that much energy to survive the attacks.'  
  
At that point, all four generals rushed into the dojo. The room was in horrible condition. Burn and scorch marks were staining the mats, weapons on the walls were shattered and scattered, and there were partial blood stains scattered were Kagome had been moments before.  
  
Sesshoumaru didn't look much better. His blood was coursing down his body in several areas, his silken robes were in tatters that appeared to be held together only by the many blood stains, and his normal painfully erect posture was drooping ever so slightly.  
  
"My lord, what happened?" Shouron asked after his initial state of shock.  
  
Sesshoumaru took a deep breath. He knew he didn't have much energy, so his generals could tell if he was lying. 'So only partial truths.'  
  
"It was a test of a new attack." His flat tone betrayed no uncertainty.  
  
"If it was your attack, my lord, then why are you bleeding?" Aishi spoke up, in a state of confusion. 'I had no idea Sesshoumaru was that strong. The power that was emitted was incredible, but I have never seen his full fury before.'  
  
Sesshoumaru looked down at the broken pieces of the swords and spears that used to line the walls.  
  
"Pieces of the weapons must have found me as I was protecting myself from the energy."  
  
"You had to protect yourself from your own attack?" Rokoshi spoke.  
  
"The attack is strictly an unleash of energy; it can harm everything it touches and even turn back on its master. Are you done questioning your lord?" Sesshoumaru dared them to detain him further.  
  
"Forgive us, my lord," Shouron spoke up. "but I have never seen such an attack, and I doubt my fellow generals have either."  
  
He nodded his acceptance and watched them leave. As soon as they were gone, he went to check up on Kagome.  
  
She was unconscious. It looked as if she had healed the major wounds, but she was still bleeding profusely.  
  
'The servants' quarters are a ways from here, and I doubt I can carry her that far unnoticed.' Sesshoumaru scowled as he realized he would be forced to take the girl to his quarters until she was conscious and well enough to heal herself.  
  
As he picked her up, a brief thought of how fragile and small she looked flitted through his mind. He felt a need to protect her rise from within, but he quickly squashed it. 'She can protect herself; that is why I chose her for this job.'  
  
He carried her in his arms to the door, paused to assure that no one was near, and then quickly made his way down the hall and into his quarters.  
  
Once, in his room, he decided not to set her on his bed. She was covered in blood, and such a great amount of blood on his sheets would start rumors that he did not need. The last thing he wanted was rumors of great wounds or weakness when there were traitors among him that, most likely, wanted his lands.  
  
Still carrying her, he turned to the door that connected his bedroom to his private hot springs. He set her down gently on the floor and went to retrieve a robe and two towels.  
  
After he returned, he carefully removed her bloody clothes. His task was painfully slow because he didn't want to disturb the clotting blood if at all possible.  
  
He took one towel and dipped it into the warm water and began to clean away the dried blood. He used the other towel to conceal, as much as possible, her state of undress.  
  
He knew, for some strange reason that Kagome would be upset that he performed these actions, but the smaller fit she threw, the better because she would probably need to conserve energy for a time.  
  
Once he had most of the dried blood cleaned away, he draped the robe over her and took her into his quarters.  
  
From this room his could hear her breathing varying. At first it was shallow, which for some reason made him uneasy, though he would not analyze the reasoning behind that. It then became stronger. He thought she was about to wake, but then it became deep and slower. He realized that she was now sleeping instead of in an unconscious stupor.  
  
Now that he knew she would be fine, he took the time to tend to himself. He quietly entered the springs and bathed. He didn't have to be as careful as he was with Kagome because most of his wounds were healed or to the point where they were not easily reopened.  
  
He discarded his ruined silk and donned a robe similar to the one Kagome was wearing. He entered his room quietly in order to retrieve another haori and hakama, but when he entered his chambers, he noticed Kagome was awakening.  
  
She had spent most of that night and half the next day in his rooms. Sesshoumaru spent the night in his front room which consisted of many couches and tables in the off chance that he would want to take his meal here or have guests in his reserve.  
  
He turned and took a seat by the bed; he waited for a short time before she opened her eyes.  
  
She felt like she had been hit repeatedly by a truck. 'Bump bump, then reverse and two more bumps, finally the driver, put it back in drive and took off once more over me.' She thought with a groan.  
  
She opened her eyes, but everything was too unfocused to see. She blinked several times, trying to chase away the fog, but a voice interrupted her.  
  
"How are you feeling?" A smooth, silky yet hard and forceful voice made her jump a bit.  
  
She remembered Sesshoumaru giving her a command right before she passed out. She also recognized the voice as Sesshoumaru's, but why was he in her room, wouldn't that be suspicious.  
  
Her unfocused eyes then were brought into focus. The room she now resided in was much bigger than her little space, even through the post-sleepy time fog, she knew she was not in her room.  
  
She tried to turn her head to study the room more closely, but she couldn't move without pain. It wasn't the pain of an open wound, but more like a soreness throughout her body. Her muscles refused to grant her any movement without that aching pain.  
  
She let out a rather unlady-like groan, and she could have sworn she heard Sesshoumaru chuckle. 'No, it was probably an indignant snort at having a human in his bed.' She thought heatedly.  
  
"Will I not receive an answer, or was that noise all I need to make my assumptions?" His voice called her again.  
  
She only answered him with another groan as she tried to turn towards the voice. Her effort failed miserably, and she heard that snort again.  
  
"How long was I out?" Kagome finally asked.  
  
"About a day, it is now afternoon." He answered her in his ever present flat tone.  
  
"How long is it until dinnertime?"  
  
He realized she needed to eat upon her question. "I will have a meal brought in for you."  
  
Kagome accepted his answer for the time being, but that was not the reason she had asked. Her only duty as a servant was to deliver the meals, but, as of now, she couldn't move at all.  
  
She saw movement to her side, and moved her head towards it. After the wave of pain, she realized Sesshoumaru had left her.  
  
Now, she took the time to try to move. Added to the pain of her sore muscles, she was stiff from her stay in bed. Every movement brought a severe stab of pain, but she managed to assess her injuries.  
  
She was surprised that they had been tended. She also realized that her clothes had been changed, and she had been given a bath.  
  
A deep blush covered her cheeks with the knowledge of who had performed those actions. Her position as servant would not allow for him to have any other tend to her, but she still felt a bit upset and slightly violated.  
  
He returned with a tray of food which he set in front of her. She labored to feed herself while he put forth some questions.  
  
"What happened in the dojo?"  
  
Between bites, Kagome answered. "It was an attack I've only used once before. It takes a lot of concentration, but I thought it would be fine. Your sleeves could have been the death of us both." She said with a slight grimace.  
  
His brow furrowed. "I do not understand."  
  
Kagome explained the workings of her attack to Sesshoumaru. He was unnerved by the concept of a mere touch and her weapons could set off such an explosion only to be repeated by others. At the same time, he marveled at her strategy behind their creation. He knew she was intelligent, but he had underestimated her once again.  
  
"Why did you shield me before yourself?"  
  
"I don't know, habit I guess." Then a smirk crossed her face as she said in a high pitched, somewhat mocking tone, "Besides, my lord, you are my lord; I should risk my entire village to ensure your safety."  
  
His eyes narrowed slightly with her statement, but he said nothing until he reprimanded her for her carelessness.  
  
"Your attack almost killed both of us, and it alerted all my generals to the dojo. You are aware of this, correct?"  
  
She let out a small gasp. "I didn't know about the generals. Did I destroy your plan?"  
  
"No, I salvaged it, but barely. I am sure they are suspicious, so you need to take extra precautions."  
  
"Fine, but I am not serving Aishi anymore."  
  
"Nothing can be change or they will know you are involved."  
  
"I will not risk my virtue for your plan. I would rather die then have that jerk touch me!" She stated heatedly.  
  
"Then you need to figure out a way around his lust. You are intelligent enough to outmaneuver Aishi, so you must do so."  
  
"I don't even know if I can walk, let alone deal with him right now." She calmed a bit with his compliment, but she still would not give in so easily.  
  
"Then try." He retorted as if it was the most obvious solution in the world. He rose and took the tray from her lap.  
  
She pulled back the covers, which hurt, shifted her legs to the side of the bed, which hurt more, and set her weight on the floor, which was unbearably painful.  
  
She almost collapsed in a heap on the floor, but Sesshoumaru steadied her.  
  
"Is the pain that great?" She could have sworn she heard concern in his voice, but once again she dismissed the possibility.  
  
"There is little pain around the wounds, but I feel achy all over."  
  
Sesshoumaru nodded. "Have you ever used that much of your power at one time before?"  
  
She shook her head.  
  
He set her back down on the bed. "Do you know what happened?"  
  
She shook her head again.  
  
"Then I shall explain. Your power is held in the core of your being. When you use it, the power flows from your core, through your body, and into the surrounding environment in whatever form you create. Your body was obviously not conditioned to have that strong of a current flowing through it. Thus, your muscles and skin were partially attacked by your own energy. Since your energy recognized you as an ally, you were not destroyed by your power current, but the soreness is attributed to your body trying to rebuild parts that were lost to the current."  
  
Kagome looked somewhat confused so he tried again, "Think of it as a river. Parts of the bank that surrounds it is swept away when the river is flooding, but when the river is calm, only bits of silt and soil are carried away."  
  
"I guess I understand, but how do you know what happened."  
  
"All power is manifested in the same way, Kagome. I was taught at a young age to build up my body's strength by escalating the level of energy in increments. You will need to train yourself in this way, also."  
  
She nodded.  
  
A question irked at him. "Why did you not used that attack against me this morning?"  
  
"It is very hard to control. Plus, as you have seen, it is dangerous to me also. While, the pure energy will not hurt me, the solid is something I don't really like to encounter." She said with a small smile.  
  
He nodded in understanding. "You need to try to walk again. The pain will only go away with use."  
  
An hour was spent in attempt to get Kagome walking unassisted. She thanked her lord, and left to her own room.  
  
Dinner time came, and she did her duty of serving the generals.  
  
She served Aishi first, so she could at least have the excuse that she had others waiting for her.  
  
Dread filled her as she walked towards his room.  
  
"Enter." A harsh voice called to her.  
  
She walked into his quarters as smoothly as she could, but the ache was still there so her movements were stiff.  
  
"What happened to you?" He asked with an evil leer in his voice.  
  
Kagome's head dropped a bit in submission, but she did not answer. He had not asked her to speak.  
  
"I asked you a question. Speak." He demanded harshly.  
  
"I was attacked, my lord." She said meekly.  
  
Unseen by Kagome, a smile slithered across his face.  
  
"Someone else punished you, I see."  
  
Kagome shivered in remembrance of his type of "punishment."  
  
Aishi saw her shiver and laughed. When it had faded he said in a disturbing tone, "I would have loved to have done so, but someone else beat me to it. Pity, you're a pretty little thing."  
  
Kagome shivered a bit in rage, but Aishi only saw it as fear.  
  
He laughed evilly. "You have been tainted, though I might change my mind, you are useless for now. Leave."  
  
'Bastard.' Kagome thought as she exited.  
  
She went to the kitchen to pick up trays for Rokoshi and Samon. She watched them throughout the meal. Every time they called her over for a refill or more food, she remained closer in order to hear their conversation. Nothing special, just tactics for training the men under their care.  
  
Shouron was no different. Nothing regarding any information that could be useful was said. He was polite as last time; they had a pleasant conversation while he dined until he asked her why her movements were stiff.  
  
She said the same thing as last time. "I was attacked." Kagome dropped her head in a quiet plead for him to leave the topic unsaid, but he pressed on.  
  
"Who?" He almost demanded. He didn't know why, but he was angry that someone had hurt her. 'Its probably because I respect her. Why? I do not know. Strange.'  
  
She stiffened. He looked her over, but didn't see any wounds. He could faintly smell the traces of old blood, but they were difficult to scent.  
  
She dropped her head lower. "I would really rather not discuss it." She said firmly but with a hint of pleading in her voice.  
  
"How have you healed so fast?" He saw her stiffen once again. 'Something is going on with this girl. I really should keep an eye on her.'  
  
"I am skilled with healing arts, my lord." She answered in a partial truth.  
  
"Very skilled, I see." He said skeptically. He watched her as she grew rather nervous, but he pressed on. "Magic or herbs?"  
  
'Oh no!' She thought frantically, but couldn't come up with anything but, "Both, my lord."  
  
Shouron narrow his eyes a bit, "You wouldn't have had anything to do with Lord Sesshoumaru regaining his arm, would you?"  
  
He saw her eyes widen in surprise, but she answered quickly. "When was he healed, I don't believe I was present at the manor when he received his arm."  
  
"No, I suppose not." He stated skeptically, 'but neither was Sesshoumaru. Yes, I will follow her. She is acting very strangely for a human servant.'  
  
A/N: Sorry this chapter was a bit shorter (only by half a page...so NO SLACK!) but I really did not have the space to start the next segment. Believe me you would have killed me if I had stopped there. SO be thankful I'll update next weekend. 


	19. The Spy and the Stalker

Enchanted Orbs  
  
Chapter 18 The Spy and the Stalker  
  
Kagome exited Shouron's quarters and headed towards her room. When she got there, she slipped out of her servant's garbs and put on a pair of shorts, and a tee shirt. She left her feet bare and tied her hair up.  
  
She completely disguised her scent, aura, and covered the sound of her footsteps, heartbeat, and breathing. With a quick check to make sure no one was in the hall, she made to open the door.  
  
She paused with her hand at the door. 'No, I rather like being a ghost.' She concentrated then pushed her hand through the door, followed by the rest of her.  
  
She quickly made her way to the soldiers' areas. She passed by the dining hall and noted that Rokoshi and Samon were still in the room. Everyone else had left and they were having a hushed conversation.  
  
She continued on her way to Aishi's room. 'I know I'm biased against him, but he gives me a bad feeling. Plus, I saw, with my own eyes, how disrespectful he was to Sesshoumaru yesterday evening.'  
  
Kagome reached out mystically and found his aura. He was amidst several others, weaker than him. 'Ha, Maybe I can catch him plotting with his fellow conspirators! Then I can report them, and Sesshoumaru won't need me anymore! I'll get to go back home...back to my normal life. Wait, why am I not excited anymore? Nonsense! I can't wait to go home and see my family again.'  
  
Lost in her thoughts she didn't feel the approach of several soldiers.  
  
She looked up to see three fully armored men striding down the hallway towards her. She panicked.  
  
'I can't slip past them. They take up the entire width of the corridor! Crap.'  
  
She backed up, but she didn't match their pace. They were almost on top of her.  
  
She frantically looked around, pressed herself against the wall next to her, and prayed. Kagome felt a tingling in her hands and fingers; she glanced down to see her fingers sinking into the wall.  
  
'Of course! How could I forget?' She sank fully through the wall just in time for the passing of the guards. 'That was too close. I actually felt the breeze that followed in their wake.'  
  
Hearing voices behind her, Kagome turned to hear Rokoshi and Samon still talking.  
  
'Well at least I went into the dining hall instead of ending up in a bathroom. That could have been really gross!'  
  
She got her first good look at the two generals. Every time previously, she had her eyes downcast in respect. 'Well, mock respect, at least.'  
  
Kagome recognized the voice of Samon as his voice escalated, their conversation was turning heated.  
  
'Why are they getting so upset?' From what she could tell they were just debating which soldiers would be called in to train for the next session. The only reason she could come up with was, 'All work and no play, makes for cranky generals.'  
  
She tuned out the conversation and concentrated on their appearances so she could recognize without searching auras if she encountered them in her future spyings.  
  
Samon had the most beautiful pale blue hair; it echoed the color of moonlight on a weak night. His eyes were a crystal blue, electric in their intensity, just a tint softer than Kagome's eye color. From his profile, she could see that he had a navy slash painting his skin from the bridge of his nose out to the corner of his hair line. His marking was unhindered by bangs as it made a striking contrast to his snow white flesh.  
  
He was beautiful, but so was the demon seat across from him. Brilliant red hair flamed from pale flesh. Fiery orange eyes twinkled in silent challenge to Samon's heated comments.  
  
Jagged scarlet scorched across his left cheek. Kagome moved around to the other side of the room out of curiosity. Her theory was proven shortly after; both youkai had symmetrical birth marks highlighting their facial features.  
  
Satisfying her thirst for their appearance, she began to listen to their voices. She listened to their words more for their personalities rather than what was being said.  
  
She had no interest in battle tactics and the soldiers' rotation schedule.  
  
Rokoshi had a smooth, silky voice that echoed Sesshoumaru in its quality, but it was lower in pitch.  
  
She listened as he manipulated his voice as would a master of ceremonies. It would vary from a grandfather quality, assuring Samon of his decisions, to a honeyed drawl that promised a slow death after you were hypnotized by its sweetness.  
  
Samon, in contrast, had a higher pitched tone. He seemed too high strung to be a general of his standing, but she could tell he was strong by his aura. Rokoshi was also very strong. She secretly began to wonder which of the generals was the strongest, but she had never seen them simultaneously before, so she was unable to tell.  
  
Kagome left the room to find her original target.  
  
She felt out his aura, and entered the room. She stopped to take her first look at the object of her anger. His hair was the color of spring grass. She shuddered as she looked at his eyes.  
  
At first appearance, it seemed as if his eyes were solid white. 'Eerie.' Upon closer inspection, Kagome saw that, where Sesshoumaru's eyes were molten gold, Aisi's were liquid silver.  
  
Aishi was in the company of about twenty soldiers; all were either drunk or extremely close to that state except Aishi.  
  
He had a drink in front of him, but he seemed to be inattentive to his sake and his rowdy companions.  
  
His brow furrowed, and Kagome wished she had the ability to read minds. One of the men stumbled up to his general and began to attempt conversation.  
  
He failed miserably as his speech was slurred beyond comprehension; Aishi raised his gaze to the soldier. As the soldier was about to tumble to the floor, the general's hand shot out and grabbed the man by the front of his haori.  
  
Kagome had to suppress a gasp; she imagined a spray of blood painting the walls for the man's disrespect. It never came.  
  
Aishi lifted him back to his feet by his shirt and waited for the soldier's friends to come take the inebriated man to his bed.  
  
As soon as the man was gone, he reverted back into his quiet musings.  
  
This is not what Kagome expected the attempted rapist to be doing. She thought she would find half naked girls screaming in fear as he and his men violated them, but it was just a drunken party.  
  
'Well, there will be no productive reports for Sesshoumaru in the morning.' Just as she was about to head back to her room, she saw Aishi rise from his seat.  
  
He walked out into the hallway and lifted his nose into the air. She watched as he scented the air and started down the hallway.  
  
He made his way to the servants' quarters with Kagome trailing him. She gasped as he stopped in front of her room and entered.  
  
Aishi heard the quiet gasp and spun quickly to catch whoever was following him. Kagome felt his aura spread as he searched for her. She made sure she was invisible to his senses.  
  
He narrowed his eyes, but turned back towards Kagome's room. Seeing the room was empty, he walked away.  
  
Kagome grabbed the wall for support. 'If he would have gone in there and looked around, he would have noticed all the modern items I left out. My secret would have been in serious danger of discovery. Ok, I need to keep everything that does not belong in this era hidden.'  
  
Kagome set out to do just that. When her things were properly concealed by both physical objects and magic, she crawled into bed.

* * *

Morning came, and she quickly dressed. Following her normal routine, she went to the kitchens and filled a pitcher with water and proceeded to the dojo.  
  
She felt Shouron's aura behind her throughout her trip to the kitchen and dojo, but she didn't think anything of it.  
  
Kagome met Sesshoumaru in front of the doors, and as normal he turned to enter as soon as she reached him.  
  
Sesshoumaru noticed the presence of Shouron trailing his spy; he decided to ask Kagome on it as soon as they were behind his barrier.  
  
Kagome didn't even have time to set down the tray before Sesshoumaru started his inquiry.  
  
"Why is Shouron following you?"  
  
Kagome donned a thoughtful expression. "Hm, you noticed it, too. I thought I might have been imagining things. It just started this morning. As far as the reasoning, I haven't the slightest idea."  
  
Sesshoumaru's brow creased, but he dismissed this information for later scrutiny.  
  
"Ready yourself."  
  
Kagome spread her senses and nodded.  
  
He disappeared, but Kagome was getting used to his speed. She waited for his aura to flare and prepared her counter attack.  
  
Solid shields formed at her fingertips, as he struck she blocked him. Funneling pure energy through her portable shields, she could smell his skin burning with the contact.  
  
But instead of retreating to attack again, as he usually did, he ducked and swept her feet out from underneath her.  
  
Kagome was surprised, but she held onto her concentration and threw a barrier up to protect her from his victory.  
  
He smirked briefly as he flicked his energy whip at her to break her barrier.  
  
But she was prepared for this move. Ever since he had shattered her barrier last time, she wanted to try a new trick. This was just what she was waiting for.  
  
Sesshoumaru saw her smirk at the sight of his whip, but did not heed its warning. With the slightest twitch of his fingers the whip surged forth.  
  
Kagome brought her power in around her, ready to be unleashed. As soon as the whip hit, her shield shattered once again.  
  
She released the energy she held around her and concentrated on taking control of the shattered pieces of her barrier.  
  
Golden eyes widened as shards of her barrier were propelled towards him with unbelievable speed.  
  
Before he a chance to react, blood flow freely down his arms, and a fist- sized shard hovered against his throat.  
  
Kagome broke into the hugest smile and hopped into the air. "HA!! Finally, I beat you." She exclaimed with pure joy.  
  
Sesshoumaru didn't know whether be infuriated that he had been defeated by a human or amused that this little girl had outwitted him.  
  
But that did not mean he would tolerate the radiant smile that taunted him. In a flash, she was pressed against the wall with his hand at her throat and his breath hot on her face.  
  
Kagome expected him to be pissed, but all she heard after her not so soft collision with the wall was, "You got lucky."  
  
She huffed, and met his eyes. "You are a sore loser."  
  
"I won't lose again." He said removing his hand from her throat, but still trapping her to the wall with his body.  
  
"You wanna bet?" Kagome challenged.  
  
Sesshoumaru was unsure of the meaning of her words, but from her tone and the context of their conversation, he knew that she was challenging him.  
  
Kagome about fainted when she saw him smirk in such close proximity. 'That means either death or... well slow, painful death, but at least you were blessed with a vision of beauty before your passing.'  
  
He stepped away from her, and felt her power gathering. He jumped across the room to prepare for her attack.  
  
He watched her as lights began to surround her, much more than her usual amount. He silently wondered how many she could control at her maximum.  
  
The orbs began to flicker and twirl around her, 'Flicker? Is she weak right now?' But as soon as the thought crossed his mind all of them disappeared and reappeared around him.  
  
For the second time that day he had been caught off guard, but instinct kicked in and he began to dodge her attacks.  
  
'Kami, he makes it look so easy. I'll just up the odds.' Kagome thought with a wicked grin.  
  
Sesshoumaru noticed that there were two subsets of orbs flying around him. Some were attacking him, but there were several staying on the outskirts of his maneuvers.  
  
He began to think that she couldn't control as many as he thought, but then he saw movement from the outsiders.  
  
'It's another trap.' He realized with a shock. Quickly he sacrificed a few burns and cuts, from the attacking spheres, to escape the net Kagome was weaving with the others.  
  
'No! Well, shoot, he escaped.' But Kagome had bigger things to deal with because at this point Sesshoumaru decided to go on the offensive.  
  
Funneling her energy into shields the length of her forearm; once more she blocked his first strike, but his second drew blood.  
  
It wasn't deep but Kagome could feel her skin separating from her shoulder to her elbow.  
  
She immediately countered by releasing one of her shields into the air. It raced to the demon lord, but managed only a shallow cut. The shield was too big to be maneuverable enough to cause damage to the agile youkai, 'but maybe I can still salvage a use for it.'  
  
Keeping hold of control over it, she stopped its path and swung it back towards him; at the same time she sent a pure energy blast at him.  
  
He felt both coming and swiftly jumped above the collision, but the collision never came.  
  
They weapons sharply angled up to continue after their target.  
  
'That's enough of this.' The taiyoukai commanded and took control of the battle.  
  
Faster that Kagome knew, the energy whip reappeared, decimating her weapons. The next thing she knew, she was on her back looking up at Sesshoumaru who was bent over her, claws poised to kill.  
  
"I win." His flat tone portrayed boredom, but Kagome could have sworn his eyes twinkled in amusement.  
  
'Can't be. I'm imagining things. Sesshoumaru doesn't get amused, but...maybe I'm wrong.'  
  
"Thank you, I didn't realize that." Kagome stated sarcastically.  
  
"And here I thought you were intelligent." Again his monotone showed no sign of emotion.  
  
'But he was mocking me! HA! He does have some semblance of humor. I wasn't imagining things!'  
  
Kagome smiled at her realization, which thoroughly confused the demon.  
  
'I insulted her, yet she enjoys it? Strange girl.' "That is enough for today."  
  
Kagome picked herself off the floor when Sesshoumaru stepped away. She hadn't exerted a great amount of energy, but she was still sweating slightly.  
  
She masked her ruffled appearance, and picked up her servant's tray. Walking to the dojo door, Sesshoumaru stopped her.  
  
"Shouron is still there."  
  
Kagome reached out, mystically. "Well, I'm not sure why he is following me, but he won't find anything out of the ordinary. I'm just your average human." Kagome stated in a sing-song voice and winked at Sesshoumaru.  
  
He creased his brow. 'She never ceases to confuse me.'  
  
He reached for the door, but Kagome stopped with. "That means I can't bath in the hotsprings, doesn't it?" She stated more than asked. She was irritated; she looked forward to her post-work out dip.  
  
Sesshoumaru merely turned opened the door while Kagome mentally pouted.

* * *

Kagome never realized how boring and long the day was when she had nothing to do and couldn't spy on anyone.  
  
Shouron was always right behind her. 'What is he up to anyway? Should I confront him? I want to know, but would that blow my cover?'  
  
She decided against it, and went to the gardens to find something to do.

* * *

By dinner time, Kagome was about to explode. 'Why is he still following me? Does he have nothing better to do? Kami, demons are so annoying.'  
  
She went to the kitchen to gather her trays. Samon and Rokoshi ate their meal in silence, but this time Shouron made an appearance at their table. He didn't eat with them; he only made comversation.  
  
Kagome kept her eyes to the ground, but was still fuming.  
  
She took Aishi his meal. She had almost forgotten that she had followed him to her room the previous night until she was on her way to his quarters.  
  
Thinking on his actions, Kagome feared the worst. 'What if he changed his mind about me being tainted?' She began thinking of escape routes just in case. She couldn't pull any straight forward attacks, but she might be able to trick him into releasing her.  
  
'That is, if Shouron lost interest in me.' She didn't even he to feel out his aura, he was close enough for her to feel his eyes on her.  
  
'There goes the trickery. What can I do?' Kagome began to panic as she reached Aishi's door.  
  
For the first time since she'd arrived, she knocked on someone's door without being called in beforehand.  
  
Aishi, again appeared deep in thought, but this time he had several scrolls in front of him. Kagome couldn't tell how many as she couldn't lift her eyes to look, but she could hear him ruffling parchment.  
  
He was abnormally quiet; he didn't insult her at all. She simply walked upon his beckoning, sat the dinner tray down, and stood by the door until he dismissed her.  
  
After a few moments time, he must have realized that she was still present. Under the cover of her bangs, Kagome saw him glare at her then bit out a harsh dismissal.  
  
She didn't mind. She just wanted out of there.  
  
Shouron was still present when she exited Aishi's room. She retrieved his tray and felt him pull away from her.  
  
When she reached his room, he invited her in as before.  
  
"Good evening, Kagome."  
  
"Good evening, General Shouron."  
  
She glided to his table, kneeled in front of it, and deposited his food. She stood and turned to leave. She didn't trust her temper to stay in check when he had been annoying her all evening.  
  
But he stopped her.  
  
"Why are you leaving so suddenly? Stay, sit down. We can talk while I eat."  
  
Kagome did not answer but did as she was told.  
  
"How was your day?"  
  
"You tell me." Kagome bit out before she could stop herself.  
  
Shouron's blue eyes widened, but he held his silence.  
  
Kagome quickly attempted to fix her slip. "What would you like me to tell you, my lord?"  
  
"Did you have a nice day?" He asked with a suspicious undertone.  
  
"It was on the dull side, but as pleasant as a servant could hope for." Kagome answered in partial truths. She was beginning to become skilled in the art of avoiding the full truth.  
  
"Dull? What do you normally do that makes it appealing?"  
  
'I set myself up for that question.' Kagome thought a bit dejectedly as she realized she'd have to dance around the question again.  
  
"I watch people." Before he could interrupt she quickly explained. "You see, I enjoy trying to guess one's personality and characteristics by their movements. As as a servant, I do not have the opportunity to lift my eyes from the floor often. So, when I am not busy, I watch people passing."  
  
"Interesting. What do you watch for?"  
  
"Posture, the way they hold their head, even the way they swing their arms, can tell a person about them."  
  
"What do you see in my movement?"  
  
'You're nosy!!' She thought a bit irritated. "You have a curious manner. I can tell you are intelligent, and good natured, but you are mysterious also. You would like others to think you are completely open and trustworthy, but you do hide things."  
  
He was a bit shocked with her statement. She was directly on target. "But you hide things as well. I've already tried to convince you to tell me your secrets."  
  
"Intimate secrets are reserved for intimate friends, my lord."  
  
"I told you not to call me by that title, General Shouron is fine."  
  
"Yes, my lord." Kagome said with mischief dancing in her eyes.  
  
'Her eyes, they are as brilliant as any youkai, but there is something there.'  
  
He smirked at her statement. "I see you are not well trained in following orders."  
  
"I was not aware that your statement was an order; I thought it only a courtesy offered to me."  
  
"Slippery."  
  
"Pardon me, my lord?"  
  
"You are skilled with words, which offers a suggestion to your intelligence. What else are you hiding?"  
  
"I hide only that which needs to be hidden." She answered immediately.  
  
"But that is a matter of opinion."  
  
"Since I am the one that holds the information, my opinion is the only one taken into account."  
  
"Brave words from a servant."  
  
"But if the servant dies, the secrets are still hidden, still protected." She countered his threat.  
  
He nodded his head in silent admission of defeat, but that was not the last thing to be said. 'I will follow her again tomorrow, what she hides must be of great importance.' 


	20. The Deadly Tide

Enchanted Orbs  
  
Chapter 19 The Deadly Tide  
  
Kagome awoke the next morning, and, as her routine demanded, met Sesshoumaru outside the dojo. There was no sign of Shouron this morning, and Kagome let out a sigh of relief.  
  
Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome approached the dojo as usual. His eyes narrowed as he looked behind the girl; he sent a questioning glare at the general who, once again was following Kagome. This time Shouron was hiding his aura and appearance.  
  
He turned to enter the dojo and erected his barrier shortly after his spy entered. Kagome set down the tray and crouched, readying herself for Sesshoumaru's inevitable attack.  
  
At his words; however, she straightened. "Shouron is following you again."  
  
She gave him a look that clearly told him she hadn't noticed him.  
  
"He is hiding his aura and appearance. You must be more cautious."  
  
She nodded, but her thoughts were running rampant. Why hadn't she noticed? Surely she was strong enough to override his illusion, if she was close to Sesshoumaru's combat level. Why didn't she see through it?  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by his words. "What have you learned?"  
  
Kagome let out a sigh. "Nothing. I know the general's favorite haunts in the evenings, and I also know about the personalities they exhibit. Further than that, I have not had a chance to explore." She said, almost pouting.  
  
"Did I find the wrong person for this job?" He asked with a flat voice that hinted at the threat carried within it.  
  
Kagome huffed, "Sesshoumaru you plan isn't working."  
  
He shot her a glare, "My plan isn't working, or you are incompetent?"  
  
This time is was her turn to glare. "It doesn't matter if I'm a human, female, servant, or other. Everyone in this palace knows that most servants love to gossip. If one finds out, the whole palace finds out. Eventually one of the servants who is loyal to you, no matter human or youkai, will alert you to the actions or words of a traitor. No one who has any intelligence would openly speak of an assassination plot towards their lord."  
  
He was irritated by her words, but they did hold reason. "Then what do you suggest?"  
  
"Kill me."  
  
Eyes widened in shock, but he quickly recovered and raised a brow in silent question.  
  
"Not really, just kill the servant. We can make up some excuse; I angered you, and you disposed of me. Something around that which sounds more like your actions. Find me a place to sleep where no one would sense my aura, and let me be invisible constantly. Right now I can't do anything for fear of Shouron discovering my little secret. I'll make espionage my first priority instead of being the submissive servant."  
  
She saw him smirk. "You really hate bowing to others."  
  
Kagome sniffed a little in annoyance, "Yes, that, too."  
  
"Very well. Play the servant role for two more days, and then you will disappear."  
  
"Why two days?"  
  
"Are you so eager to die?" He asked, causing a shiver to travel down her spine. Kagome was fairly certain that she was safe from his wrath, but still, those words coming from his mouth...  
  
Kagome recovered from her shiver and rolled her eyes at his comment. "Why two days?" She stated more than asked.  
  
"I will be leaving at that time to visit another fortress I own. I need to check on my ward and retainer."  
  
'Ward and retainer...huh?' He must have seen the question because he continued.  
  
"I sent them to my other home when I realized the danger. I sent only my most loyal servants and soldiers to guard them, but it has been quite some time since my last visit."  
  
Kagome then realized she hadn't seen the small, green youkai that used to follow Sesshoumaru around like a little lost puppy. 'But who is his ward?'  
  
"Until that time, find out what you can about an assassination plot. One must exist because I would not fall to a random attack."  
  
"I don't know..." Kagome drawled out. "I got the best of you once." She teased him with a playful smile.  
  
A slight upturn of his lips showed her he hadn't taken offense to her comment. "As I said, luck was your ally; it will not happen again."  
  
Her smile faded as her head drooped, and Sesshoumaru began to wonder if he had offended her, only to reprimand himself, for what he could assume was, caring.  
  
"But it would only take once, my lord."  
  
Blue eyes filled with emotion turned to lock with his. Something, he couldn't tell what, flew through his veins when he saw the worry that surfaced with her words.  
  
He mentally shook himself from his thoughts.  
  
Kagome knew that, even if he didn't feel a friendship towards her, she considered him a friend. He was no longer the callous lord who temporarily stripped her of her family to become a servant. She had come to view him as a friend who needed her assistance, though he would never admit it.  
  
The thought of his murder caused her a feeling of great loss. A pain, which she had only felt when she thought Inuyasha was critically injured, tore through her chest.  
  
'Calm down girl, he's not that easy to kill. Plus, I'm here to help, too.' She reprimanded herself for being overemotional in front of the ever-stoic lord.  
  
She shook her head to clear her thoughts, "How long will you be gone?"  
  
"No more than a week, I will need to be present for the change of soldiers. With my absence, I think information will be easier to obtain."  
  
Kagome nodded in understanding.  
  
"Now..." Sesshoumaru's lips twitched in anticipation of the battle which was about to commence.  
  
She recognized his tone, and immediately prepared for his attacks.  
  
He had come to eagerly await the mock battles between them. She was always spontaneous and unpredictable which forced him to stay constantly on his guard. He was never bored when it came to her. She could dream up new attacks and plans on a second's time, and he always felt exhilarated when she was finally defeated.

* * *

Another boring day was dragging by with Shouron, no doubt, right behind her. She decided to head to the gardens once again.  
  
She found a small isolated corner and sat down. She watched unobtrusively as people passed by, her presence going unnoticed. She saw everything from people rushing by to a casual stroll across her vision.  
  
But the amount of passersby dwindled, and she became bored once again. She suddenly had an idea.  
  
Kagome quickly relived several times in her life when she felt extreme happiness. Funneling the feelings through her, she took a firm grip on her emotions. She looked over to where, she guessed, Shouron was standing, watching her.  
  
Right on target, she saw a distortion in the air where his illusion was the weakest. She summoned a bit of her healing powers and formed a butterfly from the yellow orb that she willed to appear in the bush beside her.  
  
Shouron saw her look directly at him and narrow her eyes. Shock took over; there was no way she could know that he was here, but he distinctly felt discovered. 'Nonsense, she doesn't know I'm here.' He reassured himself.  
  
He was brought out of his thoughts when a yellow butterfly fluttered past the girl. It was brilliant in its coloring, almost as if it radiated its own light instead of reflecting the sun's rays.  
  
Kagome smiled as she let her butterfly land on her fingers. She willed her creation to slowly open and close its wings as a true creature would.  
  
He watched as if hypnotized as the one seated before him giggled at the insect on her fingers. The butterfly once again took to the air and flew towards him.  
  
Shouron froze; horrified because the butterfly just landed on his robes, he was unsure what to do. It was obvious that it had landed on something, but would Kagome know what had happened?  
  
Then a whispered voice reached his ears. "I know you are there. I don't know why you are following me, but I insist that you either show and explain yourself or leave and not disturb me again."  
  
Kagome was not sure how the general would take her demand, but she was really getting sick of his constant surveillance.  
  
"What happens if I refuse your request?" Shouron asked as he stepped in her direction.  
  
She let her eyes widen as if shocked by the familiar voice. "General Shouron?"  
  
He let his spells drop, and Kagome instantly felt his aura again. "Why are you following me?"  
  
Shouron took a seat beside her. His eyes narrowed a fraction with her question. "How longer have you known?"  
  
"Known? I can be certain of few things, my lord, but I have felt someone's eyes on me for two days now." Kagome mentally tallied another point in her favor. 'Yep, I'm getting really good at dancing around questions.'  
  
"Hm," was her only answer.  
  
"You have not answered my question, General Shouron." She stated, reverting back to the less formal title in hopes of easing him into answering.  
  
"And I doubt you'll get an answer as I have none to give. I do not know myself; my instincts told me to follow you, and they have never been wrong thus far."  
  
Kagome nodded in understanding. Silence held for a moment; Kagome shifted uncomfortably.  
  
"Did you discover anything of interest when you tracked me?" She asked trying desperately to get him to either leave or break the silence.  
  
"You are an interesting creature, but nothing of importance." He answered after a moment of thought.  
  
Silence. Kagome had to refrain from growling in annoyance. She hated the uncomfortable silence, and he was doing nothing to help relieve it.  
  
But he finally decided to speak up. "I guess I took it upon myself to try to discover the secrets you've hidden from me and others."  
  
Kagome sighed. "You are relentless." She stated in an exasperated way.  
  
He smirked and turned to look at her. "I try."  
  
A small chuckle escaped her. "So, what did you find out?"  
  
"Only that you are more of an enigma than I had originally thought."  
  
She sent him a questioning glance, but he remained silent. Tense moments passed.  
  
Another sigh escaped her. "Alright, I'm getting tired of this. Either talk to me or leave because I can't stand this quiet."  
  
A full laughed echoed through him. "I was waiting for your inevitable outburst."  
  
Now irritation turned to frustration at his ploy, and she released a slight growl, but youkai hearing picked it up.  
  
Laughter only became louder, "Fine, fine, what do you wish to speak about?"  
  
"I don't know; you know several things about me. Why don't you tell me about yourself?"  
  
"What do you wish to know?"  
  
"Hm, where are you from? Why are you in Lord Sesshoumaru's service? How strong are you? I don't know whatever you wish to tell."  
  
"I hail from these lands, my house has served Lord Sesshoumaru's house since it became the governing house. I consider myself strong enough to protect my lord if needed."  
  
Kagome listened intently for any sign of treachery towards Sesshoumaru as Shouron spoke, but she found none. "Well, how strong are you compared to the other generals?"  
  
He smiled at her question. "Why such an interest?"  
  
She looked down at her lap. "I don't know. I see Lord Sesshoumaru training every morning, and I serve all the generals their meals in the evenings. I can't help but wonder about the techniques they use compared to those I see at dawn."  
  
"Compared to Lord Sesshoumaru?" His brow crinkled in concentration. "You know, I have never seen him fight at full strength before, so I really don't know."  
  
His thoughts returned to the incident in the dojo when all four generals had rushed to see to their lord. 'Come to think of it...where was she at that time? I don't remember seeing her anywhere, and if Sesshoumaru was in such bad condition, she should have been killed.' He tucked those thoughts away to reflect on at a later time.  
  
"What type of youkai are you? I mean I know Sesshoumaru is inuyoukai, but as far as you and the other generals I haven't a slight idea."  
  
"I am a force youkai."  
  
Kagome looked at him. "That tells me nothing."  
  
He laughed, "I expected nothing else. There are other ancient names for it, nature youkai, element youkai, but it still would have held no meaning to you."  
  
"Nature youkai?"  
  
"Partially."  
  
She shot him a glare, "Are you going to explain?"  
  
"Impatient aren't you?" He asked with another laugh, but he held out his hand when she was about to respond. "I can control the forces involved with nature. I can summon any type of weather; I can manipulate fire, earth, and water."  
  
Kagome's jaw dropped a bit. "Wow."  
  
A smile graced his lips. "There are drawbacks to my power. I am not graced with the speed of warriors like our Lord, and I am not very capable in close combat fighting. I deal more with long range battles."  
  
"Is that why you stalk me during the day instead of train in the dojo?"  
  
Shouron raised an eyebrow at her bold statement, but he was pleased that she seemed more comfortable around him now. "I suppose so." He said in a dry voice.  
  
Kagome smiled at him. "I thought so."

* * *

Kagome finished up her conversation with Shouron and headed towards where she could feel Sesshoumaru's aura.  
  
The information provided by the general lead her to one conclusion: she had no idea what to expect from any of the generals.  
  
Looking around with eyes and senses, she made sure no one was around. Then she disappeared.  
  
Her intent was to find Sesshoumaru and ask him on the strengths and weaknesses of his generals. She felt she needed to know more about them in order to decipher their intentions.  
  
Kagome made her way down a hall she had never been to before. She let her aura flare a bit, to alert Sesshoumaru of her entrance.  
  
Sesshoumaru looked up from the paperwork in front of him when he felt Kagome approach. He expected to see the door open, but that never occurred.  
  
One moment she was on one side of the door, the next she appeared in front of him, illusion gone and her aura unleashed.  
  
His mask held, but he had never seen her do such before. 'Yes, I chose well for my spy.'  
  
"We need to talk."  
  
'Though no doubt, I could have found someone with more respect.' He thought grimly. "What do you need?"  
  
Kagome took in a deep breath to begin her explanation, but the aroma of food was brought in along with the air. She glanced over to a delicious looking food tray sat to the side of Sesshoumaru. He hadn't even touched the meal.  
  
It was around three in the afternoon, and she hadn't eaten anything since dawn. She hadn't realized how late it was because of her conversation with Shouron, and she forgot to eat.  
  
'First thing after I talk to Sesshoumaru, I'll go to the kitchens.' She assured her now throbbing stomach, but it didn't agree.  
  
Sesshoumaru had to fight the urge to roll his eyes when he heard her stomach growl.  
  
Kagome laughed, embarrassed by her stomach's declaration. "I'm sorry. I lost track of the time. I haven't eaten since before our training session, so I'll make this quick."  
  
The lord nodded in assent.  
  
"I need to know about your generals. I just realized how little I know about their abilities and backgrounds." She began but, once again, her stomach interrupted.  
  
Sesshoumaru looked at her with his indifferent mask. "Take the tray and sit down, this may take a while."  
  
Her brows knit in confusion.  
  
"Eat." But his command came in loud and clear.  
  
She took the tray and sat down across from him.  
  
He began to tell her first of Shouron's background. This was information she already knew, but she stayed attentive to find any discrepancies between the two accounts.  
  
Sesshoumaru was just about to tell her of Samon, when she started feeling very strange. Strange turned into light-headed, and suddenly she saw Sesshoumaru's form become smaller as she fell backwards.  
  
She remembered looking up at the ceiling briefly before everything went black.  
  
The taiyoukai watched as Kagome's eyes glazed over. He was about to reprimand her for wasting his time if she wasn't going to listen to information she had requested, when she started to fall backwards.  
  
Eyes widened as he dashed across the low table and caught her head before it collided with the ground.  
  
He turned to the tray in front of her. Sesshoumaru was very knowledgeable on the topic of poisons because of his own ability with it.  
  
The venom present in the meal meant for him had completely surpassed all of his senses. Scent and instinct were not alerted to the danger that had been laid before him.  
  
But he quickly remembered the girl before him. Her head was still supported by one of his hands; he listened for a change in her breathing and heart rate.  
  
He was about to call for a healer; the thought of his secret agent being exposed didn't matter for the time. Something close to worry nagged at him.  
  
Before he could alert someone, he saw her start to glow.

* * *

Kagome was drifting. She felt the rise and fall over waters pushing her in the rhythms of a tide that she hadn't known existed around her.  
  
She tried to open her eyes to chase away the darkness, but she couldn't. 'Do I even have eyes? Am I dead?'  
  
Blackness encircled her as the tides kept her off balance. Her thoughts were not coherent but she had a distinct feeling of wrongness. Something wasn't right. This darkness wasn't something welcomed in sleep.  
  
It was something else.  
  
Kagome tried to remember what had caused this obsidian tide to trap her in its currents. Where was she? Who was she with? Better yet, was anyone else drowning in this riptide with her?  
  
She tried to reach out mystically to see if she was alone, but instead of feeling auras around her, she was focused on her own.  
  
It was fading. Why? She hadn't suppressed it. What caused it to...  
  
Then the feeling of wrong crashed into her again like the waves thrown against a rocky cliff.  
  
She tides faded and she felt the pull of liquids flowing through her veins. Her blood throbbed across her body. A pulse began to grow in strength, beginning from her heart and spreading to encompass all of her, from her head to the smallest toe.  
  
She vaguely recalled her aura begin to grow again. A feeling of relief joined the pulses that radiated from her.  
  
But the rhythm of her blood was changing. The darkness which surrounded her was no longer black. The shadows brightened until grey. Then the grey took on a rust color, rust lost its orange, and red remained.  
  
Scarlet, matching the blood thumping through her veins, consumed her sightless vision.  
  
She was no longer tossed between tides, but she still felt weightless, no control over her body at all.  
  
Again she tried to think. What had happened? Why is this happening?  
  
The crimson background became tainted with a streak of another color. A comets tail of sickly green repeatedly flashed across the setting.  
  
A sense of urgency overtook her with the flashes. It was as if they were a warning, and her veins once again began their dance.  
  
But the dance was burning this time. Her body was demanding something, but she still couldn't decipher its message.  
  
Just then a sharp pain shot through her arm. The feeling was akin to needles passing through her system. With each pulse the pain rose and fell.  
  
The flashes of green settled into the same rhythm. A streak soared across crimson with the pain then vanished until the next throb.  
  
The pain was lessening, the pulse was stopping, and her aura was fading.  
  
'My aura is fading? My pulse is stopping.' The urgency took over again. 'I'm dying!'  
  
The scene in Sesshoumaru's study struck her hard. 'His food was poisoned, and I ate it.'  
  
Her wits about her once again, she became determined to right the wrongness. 'I know I can save me; I wouldn't have been brought to this place if I couldn't.' Kagome thought setting her jaw firmly.  
  
Now that her senses had returned, she could feel everything in her body. The pulses of her blood were just the beginning, muscles twitched, stomach churned, heart slowed; everything in her was trying to stop the venom from spreading too far.  
  
Kagome could pinpoint the toxin's path. No matter where it went, a sense of invasion and wrong alerted her to its location.  
  
It was spreading; her limbs were becoming numb. 'I have to hurry.'  
  
She realized with great relief that she could control her internal chemistry. She slowed her heartbeat dramatically so the venom could not spread without her permission.  
  
Kagome took control of the major veins and forced the toxin in her arms back towards her stomach. Once the toxin was banished from her arms, she concentrated of relieving her legs of the intruder.  
  
The poison from her legs joined its brethren from her arms in her stomach. She concentrated on her torso's expanse. 'Not much left.' But she felt her strength weakening.  
  
With great effort, she sifted through the blood headed to her vital areas. Cleansing her heart, lungs, mind, she forced the toxin into her stomach once again.  
  
With the final vestiges of her strength, she expelled the acrid substance from her body.

* * *

Sesshoumaru had watched her in worried fascination as she fought the poison flowing through her.  
  
He had seen her aura flare and fall, her breathing deepen and thin, and could feel her pulse change.  
  
Shock overcame him when the pulse in her arms stopped while everything else remained. When the pulse in her arms resumed only to cease in her legs, he knew she was controlling it. How he knew, he did not know.  
  
Very few demons had such control over their body's function; a human had never exhibited such, but Kagome had never followed the rules.  
  
He saw her body shudder and instinctively knew to move, move very quickly.  
  
Sesshoumaru praised his instincts when he saw Kagome come back to consciousness, roll onto her side, and purge the venom introduced to her.  
  
A breath he didn't know he had held escaped as he saw her turn, and blue eyes stare at the ceiling. Her eyes clenched tightly seconds later as a fit of coughing seized her.  
  
Sesshoumaru reached for the glass of water on his desk. He had been drinking it earlier, so he was assured of its safety.  
  
"Here, take this; it is safe." He said gently.  
  
Shaky hands reached for the cup. 'She won't be able to lift it. She is too weak.' He realized as she tried and failed to lift her head to sip.  
  
He guided her hands back to the floor. A strong hand slipped under her neck, entangling with shadowy locks, and lifted slightly. He angled her face towards the water and brought it to her lips.  
  
Kagome tried to drink greedily, but he kept her from taking too much too quickly.  
  
When she had enough, Kagome heard his voice. "Are you alright?"  
  
A faint groan was his only answer.  
  
She felt so weak; she looked up to where he hovered above her. Kagome thought she registered concern in his facial lines, but she was really too exhausted to think about that.  
  
Kagome once again slipped into the shade of darkness, but this time, it was safe.  
  
Sesshoumaru watched as she gave in to her fatigue. She had saved his life again, and again, he was tending to her.  
  
'I have become a housemaid to my own servant.' He said with a slight sneer, but upon looking at her serene face, her remembered how he felt when he thought she was about to die.  
  
Pain of Loss. Loss that he hadn't felt since childhood consumed him at that time. Maybe he really was starting to care for the little miko.  
  
He shook himself and bent to pick up the female. Covering the both of them with an illusion and suppressing all evidence of their presence, he took her to his chambers to recover. 'Again.'

* * *

Hello there! I hope you liked. I have had a couple of people ask me about what types of youkai the generals are. WELL, I told you Shouron's race because it would be difficult to describe in battle, but as for the others...I really want it to be a surprise. You'll find out pretty quickly. I have their attacks all mapped out. It's gonna be awesome!  
  
I'll update again next week!! Til Then Syrinx 


	21. Realizations of a Demon Lord

Enchanted Orbs  
  
Chapter 20  
  
"You idiot." He hissed "What possessed you to add poison to his food?"  
  
"We are planning to kill him anyways, are we not? Why not get that out of the way now?" The other replied with venom in his voice.  
  
"Timing is everything. If Sesshoumaru would have died now, do you know how badly everything would have fallen apart?"  
  
"What could have possibly gone wrong? You are obsessing over one slight setback."  
  
"No! You obviously don't understand why we have a plan. Imbecile! If the Lord would have passed on without an heir, every youkai who thought themselves strong would swarm to the castle to challenge for rule of the lands. We must wait; it will not be long now, but swear to me you will not pull such an idiotic stunt again."  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Good, you are dismissed."  
  
"Dismissed? Who are you to dismiss me? I thought us partners in this ordeal." But his eyes widened at the malice pouring off his counterpart.  
  
"Do you challenge me?"  
  
"No." He dropped his gaze  
  
"Then leave."  
  
With that the general was dismissed from his presence and he was left to his thoughts. 'Sesshoumaru survived. Was the poison ineffective? Did he even eat from the tray provided? I need to find out what happened. Luck may be with us; he might not be aware of the attempt on his life.'  
  
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII  
  
He had watched her since she was set on his bed. Ever since Kagome had purged herself of the poison, she had been unconscious.  
  
Sesshoumaru could tell she was only sleeping, but occasionally her body would begin to radiate the color of her healing powers. This confused him; the only reason he could think of for her to heal herself was possible aftereffects of the venom.  
  
Perhaps the substance had torn apart the sensitive internal tissues; she could be healing damage caused by the poison. Maybe when she slowed her pulse, her limbs were deprived of precious oxygen and blood to the point of atrophy.  
  
Many scenarios flashed through his thoughts on why she would sporadically begin to heal herself, but he would not be able to answer that himself.  
  
He tuned into the rhythm of her breathing. It was normal but raspy. He realized how torn her throat must be. Expelling acids and poison most likely devastated the vulnerable tissue, but wouldn't she heal that?  
  
Too many questions were left unanswered for him to be comfortable.  
  
Her breathing became shallower; he knew she would wake within the hour, but her breath was still raspy.  
  
He stood and exited his quarters. Sesshoumaru passed one of his servants; the girl stopped and bowed to her lord. He recognized her scent; she was one who had been in his service since the time of his father. Very loyal would describe her adequately.  
  
He stopped and turned to her. "Go to my study; there is a mess to be cleaned. Take the tray that was left there and dispose of it. Speak of this to no one or forfeit your life." He stated as if the threat was no more than a passing hello and continued on his path towards the kitchen.  
  
Sesshoumaru returned to his chambers with water. When he entered, he inhaled deeply.  
  
He had caught himself doing this more frequently, but it was almost a subconscious action. One he didn't openly intend to do, he just did it. Her scent calmed him; he knew this now. He had acknowledged it.  
  
The lord had difficulty placing something near her scent. It didn't match any one thing. It was calm yet exhilarating, parallel to lilies, but she had an exotic splash such as the spices he had encountered while traveling. But none of these were exact, just similar.  
  
When he inhaled upon entering, there was something different.  
  
Every human usually reeked. Besides the common practice of bathing rarely that most humans upheld, every mortal smelled of death. It was a slight scent when young, but it grew as the owner aged.  
  
Sesshoumaru had no knowledge of skin cells that continually duplicate and die, but he did know the scent of death. His nose was sensitive enough to pick up the minute smell of those many cells' deaths. And every human had that slight scent; Kagome had that scent. It disturbed him, smelling death on her.  
  
Why? He usually was not affected by the scent of death. There was a time when he reveled in that scent. Blood and death was an addictive drug which gave him an incomparable high in his adolescence, but death on her was nothing short of upsetting.  
  
Why, because he had come to care for her. He could no longer deny it. She was someone who he could trust. Kagome would willingly put her life on the line to save his. She had done so twice now, so there was no denying this. Kagome had become a companion to him, someone he looked forward to seeing daily. She was someone who kept the ever present boredom at bay with her spontaneity.  
  
'She is... dare I say it, a friend.' Sesshoumaru thought alarmed. He had friends in his naïve youth, but all had either betrayed him or used him as a tool for power or money. But with those betrayals, he had grown wise enough to know not to willingly give friendship to others.  
  
Kagome. She had slipped past that rule. He knew now that he did view her as a friend.  
  
'That would explain why I don't like to smell death laced into her scent.'  
  
But her scent lacked that smell now. It was a gradual disappearance, he realized that now. The scent of death was decreasing as he sat near her, but he was immune to its departure because of his proximity. When he left and reentered, the fading became obvious to him.  
  
Eyes widened with awareness. The answer had been right before him. She was healing her being. Her death was being pushed away by her own powers. Was this a conscious action? Did she realize what she was doing, or did her power make this decision and subject her to it?  
  
Questions solved only brought more questions; now he would be forced to wait until she surfaced from her sleep. Only Kagome could answer whether this was a conscious decision.  
  
Still human? Most certainly, one cannot just change that on a whim, but humans weren't immortal. And from what he could gather, she would no longer suffer a mortal death.  
  
Questions plagued him.  
  
"Sesshoumaru?"  
  
Her timid voice pierced through a haze the questions created around him. He hadn't even noticed the telltale signs of her awakening, but now he was aware of her.  
  
She looked confused. She was looking for him.  
  
"I'm here." He stated and walked towards his bedside.  
  
"What happened?" She choked out. It seemed that she would rather have answers than have her needs tended to. He could relate.  
  
He remained silent and reached for the water he had retrieved. Kagome hadn't realized how thirsty she was until he offered the glass to her. She reached for it, but Sesshoumaru refused to let her hold the cup.  
  
She wanted to tell him off for treating her like a child, but there were several reasons stopping her.  
  
He was taking care of her. Sesshoumaru hadn't sent for someone else, he hadn't said anything degrading her intelligence for consuming the poison, and, from the looks of him, he hadn't slept. Even if those reasons were more than enough to stop her mouth, which they weren't, the last was sure to do it.  
  
Her throat felt awful. From the pain, it seemed like some demented creature had spent the last week sanding down her air passage, so she kept her silence in favor of consuming the proffered water.  
  
Kagome took several drawls of water then let her head fall back down to awaiting pillows. The pain had subsided, but it wasn't gone.  
  
But that was the only place she felt pain. Otherwise she felt wonderful, like she just had the best night's sleep of her life.  
  
Sesshoumaru watched as her hand glowed yellow. She brought it to her throat for a moment. When she was done, Kagome released a brilliant smile and stretched like a lazy cat in the sunshine.  
  
"That was beautiful, well besides the fact that I almost died. I feel wonderful; I think that was the best night's rest I've ever had." Kagome said retaining her full smile.  
  
Sesshoumaru's eyes twinkled with amusement, but stated in a flat voice. "Try two days rest."  
  
"What? I have been under that long?" Kagome said jolting up to her elbows in surprise.  
  
He gave a slight nod in response.  
  
"Oh no. What about my duties?"  
  
With a slight smirk he replied. "It seems your death was premature."  
  
"Thank you for covering for me. Did I delay your trip?" She asked a bit sheepishly.  
  
"I will leave tomorrow morning if you are well."  
  
"Well? I'm more than well. In fact, the way I'm feeling, I bet I could take you down in the dojo." Kagome said with a flirtatious smile and a lilt to her tone.  
  
The taiyoukai raised an eyebrow. "Highly unlikely, but you need to rest. You are still recovering." He rose to leave.  
  
"No, wait, please." She halted him with a timid voice. "If I've rested for two days I won't be able to sleep now, and I'll be bored by myself. I'm not tired Sesshoumaru, and my legs need to be stretched. If you won't spar with me, at least, let me go to the dojo to rebuild the strength in my limbs."  
  
He was silent for a moment then nodded in assent.  
  
"Great! What time is it? I need to change my clothing. Wait, if I'm dead what happened to my things?"  
  
'Her things, that reminds me, I found some very interesting items she was hiding.' Sesshoumaru thought as he turned to her. "Your things are in the adjoining room. There is always a barrier around my quarters, so you will not be sensed here. I've adjusted it to allow you to slip through, so don't try to break it. We need discuss some of your belongings."  
  
'Crap! He found my hiding place; this isn't going to be so easy to explain.' Kagome thought frantically. "Sesshoumaru, may I change first. I will have to think of a way to explain the items you found. The technology behind them is very difficult to explain, and I am not fully aware of how they all work."  
  
"Very well." He replied. "I will meet you outside the dojo."  
  
"Thank you." And with that she got to her feet a bit clumsily.  
  
After changing, she went to the dojo to meet Sesshoumaru.  
  
"Are you ready to fall before me and my amazing abilities?" Kagome said with a haughty voice and her nose stuck up.  
  
"You are most welcome to try, though I doubt I will ever fall for you." Sesshoumaru replied with a smirk as Kagome prepared for his attacks.  
  
Only this time, he didn't attack; he was waiting for her to attack him. Kagome was a bit taken back by this, but decided to go with it.  
  
She formed two solid shields on her forearms and created a sword. Using her power to propel her forward, she lunged at the youkai before her.  
  
Sesshoumaru was not expecting her to be as fast as she was, but he easily countered her attack. He blocked and forced her back with his strength.  
  
He let one hand fall to the side, preparing for his acid whip, but Kagome saw the movement and knew what was coming.  
  
Attacking once more with her sword, she occupied one of his hands to stave off her attacks. Kagome created a small platform behind her with her solid energy while Sesshoumaru was occupied with her sword. The waist-high rectangle hovered behind her unnoticed by the lord.  
  
Sesshoumaru couldn't use his whip in close quarters, so he was forced to block her sword with the claws of his left hand. She released the energy used to create the sword; it vanished. He was caught off balance with the lack, but quickly recovered and swiped at her with his claws.  
  
Kagome jumped backwards onto the floating energy to escape his claws. As soon as her feet landed, she jumped once again to avoid yet another deadly swing from Sesshoumaru. When she was once again on solid ground, she manipulated the platform to become vertical and used it as a temporary shield.  
  
Claws collided with solid energy; Kagome used the distraction to create a slit in the shield. Three palm-sized discs traveled through the slit in attack.  
  
Kagome thought he would sense the attack and block it, but her stomach churned when she heard the sickening sound of flesh splitting and a clang when he deflected the last of her attacks.  
  
'Oh no!' The energies dissipated as Kagome ran to Sesshoumaru. Blood was oozing onto his white robes. She reached forward to see the extent of the damage she had caused, when his voice stopped her.  
  
"May I remind you that the battle is not over."  
  
Kagome pulled her hair to one side and lifted her chin, exposing her fair neck to him. "Now it is." She said with her head still tilted back. "Now let me see you wounds."  
  
"They are not significant enough to worry about." He said with dismissal, but he looked at her and saw the overwhelming guilt she felt. "But you may tend to them if you wish."  
  
She looked at the large splotches of blood; he was still bleeding heavily and the once two had now converged to one large scarlet stain.  
  
"I can't see the wounds, will you..." Kagome couldn't bring herself to ask him. She just prayed to whoever was listening that he understood her request.  
  
Sesshoumaru pulled one arm free of his haori and let the ruined silk fall to his hip. The other side, he pulled away from the wound on his stomach.  
  
Kagome raised her hand to his torso. She removed the drying blood from his skin to reveal his injuries.  
  
His wounds consisted of two palm-sized gashes on his torso, one just below his rib cage and the other through his stomach.  
  
He watched her as she gazed at his injuries. It was almost as if she was burning the damage she had caused into her memory in order to reprimand herself. He saw waves of guilt flowing off of her form.  
  
Sesshoumaru felt the need to distract her; he didn't want her to feel guilt. It wasn't as if she had almost killed him. This was a minor injury; nothing to be concerned about.  
  
"Do you see something you like, Kagome?" He asked with a teasing inflection.  
  
Kagome broke from her guilt-trip and sent a glare to the arrogant demon before her. She huffed quietly and began to heal the internal damage done to his stomach.  
  
Once the gash was gone, she turned to the other wound. She mended the lesion until it was nothing more than a cut marring his flesh.  
  
Before she realized what she was doing, her fingers gently ran along the cut. As her fingertips caressed the blemish, it was healed.  
  
Sesshoumaru felt a cool, gentle touch on his skin, like the kiss of an autumn breeze. He shivered and caught her hand as she began to pull it away.  
  
She was broken from her trance when she felt him snag her hand. Kagome felt his thumb against her palm and his fingers curl around the back of her hand.  
  
On instinct she answered quickly. "Forgive me, my lord. I was not given permission to touch you." She bowed her head in submission.  
  
The feeling passed when she spoke. "You really have been a servant for too long. You are beginning to act like one." He released her hand and waited for her to look up at him. He did not have to wait long. When she did, he continued. "You are not my servant and I expect you to remember this. Have you sufficiently stretched your limbs?"  
  
She stepped back so she wouldn't have to strain her neck to look at him. "Yes."  
  
"Then I believe we are done here." He began to walk to the door but turned his face slightly as he reached it. "And I am still standing, like I said previously, luck."  
  
Before Kagome could respond, he was gone. 'Ooooh, that arrogant jerk. He'll get his.' She cloaked herself and began her daily espionage.  
  
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII  
  
Sesshoumaru left the next morning to visit his people hidden away at his other property.  
  
Kagome took the opportunity to spend the day following all the generals.  
  
Aishi spent the majority of the day in the soldiers' training area. She wanted to get a handle on his abilities and strength, but unfortunately all he did was critique.  
  
He would perform a few examples of his training, but it was all slow-paced. Education was his goal not flaunting. Kagome learned nothing except that he did seem to have a general concern for his men. Aishi was by no means kind to his inferiors, but he did go out of his way to make sure everyone understood and achieved.  
  
Once again, Aishi surprised her.  
  
Kagome left the dojo to find Shouron. He was in the gardens.  
  
To her, it appeared that Shouron was slightly depressed or bored, but she got the distinct impression that he was moping.  
  
Kagome crept closer; she watched as he shook himself out of whatever stupor he occupied. He spoke so softly that Kagome almost missed it.  
  
"Why am I still trying to figure this out? Accept the facts, Shouron, Sesshoumaru killed a ningen. What is so hard to grasp? But it just sounds wrong. Why?" His voice escalated slightly to a stage whisper.  
  
His gaze fell on a large flat rock. "Maybe meditation will help."  
  
He walked over to the stone and sat upon it; he erected a barrier around himself to block out outside distractions.  
  
'Well I guess I'm done observing him.' Kagome thought as she went to seek out the other to generals.  
  
She continued down the halls toward them, once again they were together. 'I'm beginning to think their gay.' Kagome thought with bitter humor at the inseparable two.  
  
They were just around the corner, and as the neared. Kagome picked up midway through their conversation.  
  
"... and the new soldiers will be arriving in a little over a week. Are we prepared?"  
  
"Yes, Rokoshi, I believe we are. I have sent all the summons."  
  
"To only those who we agreed upon, correct?"  
  
"Yes, we've been over this already. Why do you insist on reiterating constantly?"  
  
"With the recent events, it is important that we summon only those with unquestionable loyalty to us. Lord Sesshoumaru is unaware of the dangers surrounding him."  
  
"I only sent the summons to those we agreed upon. Do not fret anymore about it."  
  
Kagome tuned out of their conversation as the continued further down the hallway. 'Hmm, I wasn't aware that anyone was aware of possible traitors but Sesshoumaru and I, but I guess it is hard to keep intelligent generals in the dark about such things. It is nice to know they are trying to keep those loyal to Sesshoumaru close at this time.' She thought.  
  
After the traumatic poison incident, training with and healing Sesshoumaru, and her current spying, Kagome was feeling sleepy.  
  
It was early evening, so she figured she could take a small nap and spy more during the night. She retired to the room neighboring Sesshoumaru's sleeping quarters, to nap.  
  
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII  
  
Kagome was walking down the hallway following Aishi. Most were in their quarters asleep at this time, but Aishi decided he wanted to take a casual stroll.  
  
'Casual stroll my foot. He's up to something, and I doubt it is good.' Kagome thought as she noiselessly stalked him.  
  
He paused his progress and straightened. She watched as he looked behind around cautiously then continued forward.  
  
He turned a corner, and when Kagome followed, she was instantly pinned to the wall by her neck.  
  
She stared into Aishi's silver eyes stunned. 'There's no way. I'm completely cloaked. What happened?'  
  
A voice ripped through her thoughts. "Drop your spells."  
  
Kagome remained silent but winced when claws pressed into her flesh.  
  
Aishi saw scarlet trails flow over his fingers. "Why are you following me?"  
  
"It is my job." Kagome answered as forcefully as she could with him holding by her neck.  
  
Even though he could not see it, Kagome smiled in triumph when she saw the shock register across his face when he heard her voice.  
  
"Drop your spells, wench."  
  
Kagome narrowed her eyes at his insult. "When I find proof of what I think you are guilty of, you will die by my hands."  
  
"I would fall upon my sword before I let a woman defeat me." He said through clenched teeth. Then his face seemed to lighten.  
  
Aishi began to laugh evilly and pressed her into the wall behind her. Her air was sufficiently lessened by this. "And it would seem you are in no position to threaten me."  
  
He made to crush her windpipe but was stopped by the feel of something sharp against his own throat.  
  
Kagome turned the disc slightly to slice the flesh covering his throat, and Aishi could feel and smell his own blood trickle down to his robes.  
  
"Interesting, it seems we are at a stalemate, woman." He said forcefully.  
  
"Wrong." Kagome corrected.  
  
Under the cover of her illusions, Kagome's skin began to glow pink.  
  
Aishi felt a searing pain where his hand made contact with the woman hidden to him. He attempted to hold onto her, but it felt as if his fingers were melting away.  
  
He dropped her, and Kagome fell to the floor gasping for air, the disc still settled at his throat.  
  
"This isn't over, bitch." Kagome looked up just in time to see Aishi lean away from her deadly weapon and become a blur.  
  
He practically vanished in his speed to lose his stalker.  
  
"You bet your ass it isn't." Kagome spoke to the empty hallway. She rose and returned to her bed.  
  
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII  
  
Ok, I know this wasn't the most thrilling of chapters, but I would describe it as the calm before the storm. Things are about to get hectic. Stick around. I'll update again next week. Til then, Syrinx 


	22. The Calm before the Storm

Enchanted Orbs  
  
Chapter 21  
  
Sesshoumaru sat down to dine at the table as Rin chattered away about her adventures. She was still updating her lord on all her activities since he had last seen her, but Sesshoumaru was far away in his own contemplations.  
  
It had been two days since he had arrived here, four days since his departure from his other estate, 'And Kagome.'  
  
He was to the point of losing the battle to his anger and destroying something. Since he had left he had been frequented with flashbacks and glimpses of his former friend, now annoying ghost.  
  
She was only a few days journey from him, and he hadn't even been absent from her sight for a week. Why was he being affected so?  
  
Emotions were always irritating which was why he practically banished them from his life, but now the floodgates had been opened. With the seemingly harmless admission of friendship to someone, admitting he 'cared' somewhat, he was now haunted by her.  
  
Though haunted might not be the best word. He enjoyed the flashes of her smiles, the melody of her voice floating carelessly around his mind, and the soundless visions of her expressions or activities.  
  
But he was getting exceedingly tired of dealing with them. They interrupted his life, 'Just like she does.' They force him to feel whereas he was accustomed to dealing with everything with his aloof manner and bored countenance. She disrupted this in all ways, but then again she kept the boredom at bay. She kept him constantly on guard.  
  
Kagome was a refreshing breeze of spontaneity.  
  
But she was still ruining everything...  
  
"Sesshoumaru-sama? You did, didn't you?" Rin's slightly worried voice broke through his mental arguments.  
  
He looked at his ward, and his head dropped slightly in an affirmative answer.  
  
Her hands fisted and trembled with excitement. "Rin knew you would enjoy them!!"  
  
Before he had a chance to pry out what he had just agreed to, the meal was set before them.  
  
He gracefully lifted the chopsticks, and before he could begin his meal, another memory plagued him.  
  
IIIIIIIIIIII Flashback IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII  
  
"Sesshoumaru, I don't care what you say. I'm going to try you meals before you eat them. I have already defeated the poison, and I can do it again if necessary. I will not allow your arrogance and stubborn attitude to endanger your life."  
  
"Kagome, do you honestly believe that whoever is behind this is foolish enough to attempt to poison me again after failing to do so once? And, yes, you defeated the poison, but you were unconscious for two days. I would call that a close battle."  
  
"Maybe they expect you to become lax in such assumptions, and I didn't know what I was doing the first time. Now that I've learned to deal with such attacks, it won't take as long to recover."  
  
"Fine, do whatever you wish, just do it quickly and quietly."  
  
Kagome quickly kneeled near his pillow. She quietly took up his chopsticks and, with dainty mannerisms and impeccable manners, tasted a small portion of each dish to ensure its safety. Afterwards, she raised his cup to her lips to certify that the drink was safe.  
  
"Are you satisfied now?" The smooth tone belied its irritation.  
  
"Yes, I'll excuse myself now. Enjoy your meal, Sesshoumaru." Kagome quickly exited the room to leave him in peace.  
  
Sesshoumaru enjoyed quiet solitude when he took his meals, so the fact that Kagome had dismissed herself relieved his frustration over her intrusion.  
  
Without thinking he picked up his utensils and swiftly began his meal, but something pierced his thoughts.  
  
His meal now had a different taste added to its normal composition. 'A new spice, perhaps?' It was sweet, but had a jolt of an unnamed flavor that peaked his interest.  
  
He leaned forward and inhaled to try to discern the new taste when Kagome's scent, which still lingered in the room, registered.  
  
Glancing at the chopsticks, he realized that he had picked up the same set she had used only moments before. The new seasoning was Kagome's unique taste.  
  
He resisted momentarily before he reached for his drink, sniffing slightly before finding where Kagome's lips had pressed into it, and sipped from the same point.  
  
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII End Flashback IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII  
  
Sesshoumaru tried desperately not to remember what she tasted like because it only brought alien thoughts of wanting to see what her flavor was like from the source.  
  
Kagome was only a girl; she was nothing to be desired. Or so he kept repeating to himself, but he was fighting an uphill battle and losing.  
  
He felt lost, completely disoriented. Sesshoumaru was one who attacked his problems and found its solution quickly and easily, but the solution to this problem escaped him.  
  
If she was causing him all this trouble in his presence, he would send her away with all haste, thus solving the dilemma. But none of this came to light until he departed. 'Could it be that I miss her? Impossible.'  
  
But no matter how he tried, he could come up with no other theories on why he was plagued by her memories, disillusioned by her images, daydreaming of her company.  
  
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII  
  
Aishi paced around his room. Questions he had fumbled over for the past week were now clearing themselves up nicely.  
  
He had been curious as to why Sesshoumaru had interfered with his...plans for that one servant. At the time, he had been furious, but as the sexual frustration passed, Aishi could think more clearly.  
  
His lord did not need a report; Samon had just entered one two days prior. Why did his lord need another, especially from him when it was Samon's duty this session to summon and register the soldiers?  
  
It had to be an excuse. Sesshoumaru was intentionally protecting this female. Why? His first thought was that he had taken up his father's affinity for ningens, but was unwilling to allow for others to have knowledge of this. In this line of reasoning, it would make sense that this particular female was his favorite. This theory had held when Aishi went to her quarters during the night and she wasn't there. Her scent was hours old, so all held solid under his theory except for one thing.  
  
If she was a concubine, even his favorite, why would Sesshoumaru risk estranging his generals for a woman? He wouldn't; it is as simple as that.  
  
Sesshoumaru was known throughout the lands for his intelligence. He wouldn't risk his life or lands over a concubine.  
  
So there had to be more there. Was he in love with...not even imaginable. So what else is there?  
  
He had been completely confounded by this until a few days ago. He heard someone thinking behind him.  
  
Aishi thanked his ancestors once again for his abilities. He was one of few youkai who possessed the capability to hear thoughts. Yes, there were several who could telepathically tap into someone's mind, but Aishi didn't need to do that.  
  
He had an all access pass; he did not need to actively try. This ability had once been the bane of his existence. Hearing everyone around you even in silence was enough to be driven mad, if youkai could be so afflicted, but he had learned to suppress it.  
  
Aishi very rarely let loose his capabilities, most had very idiotic beliefs and random thought patterns, very confusing. But when alone, he allowed his control to slip.  
  
Which was how he knew someone was following him; he heard their thoughts.  
  
He couldn't place the voice at first even after hearing it through the vocal cords, but after a day of reflection, everything fell into place.  
  
The woman's "job" of following him, the defiant servant, and Sesshoumaru's protection of a human female only to "kill" her a few days later all began to form a new theory. This one was much more like his cunning lord.  
  
This human servant had power. He hated to admit it, but she did place him in a kill position even when she was in one herself. But who would ever look twice at a ningen, let alone a female ningen?  
  
Cunning indeed.  
  
She was a spy, that much was certain, but one thing still didn't fit into place. Why is Sesshoumaru bringing in such a formidable spy? Yes, every lord has their spies placed within a household, but most are expendable.  
  
'It is obvious that Sesshoumaru wants this one to survive if he, himself, stepped between her and me. As defiant as she was, it is obvious in hindsight that she would have attacked me instead of submitting, thus revealing herself and her powers. I have to wonder about the extent of her capabilities. But most importantly, why does Sesshoumaru feel threatened enough to create such a plan?'  
  
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII  
  
Kagome lay in bed awake. It was the middle of the afternoon, and even though she had been sleeping here at this time for the past few days, she still could not get the hang of sleeping through the sunlight.  
  
Plus, it was hard to sleep with burdens on the brain. Kagome had racked her mind trying to come up with ways Aishi had discovered her in the hallway several days ago.  
  
She avoided him at all costs in the hallways, and if she was forced to follow him because of suspicious conduct, it was a 'deer in headlights' response. Simply put, she froze. Everything stopped, breathing, moving; she did nothing and allowed him to walk past. When he advanced down the corridor a certain distance away, she would pick up the pursuit until she passed him slightly only to repeat her actions.  
  
It was annoying, but that's the only thing she could think of to keep him from finding her.  
  
Because of her irritation with Aishi, she had been spending more time observing the other generals.  
  
Shouron seemed rather aloof. He spent the majority of his time alone, in his room. She could often tell he was reflecting on issues of which she was not aware. Kagome secretly wished she could do something to help, but revealing herself would not be wise, especially when she had yet to find incriminating proof on any of the generals.  
  
Sesshoumaru was right. His generals are very intelligent, and they cover their tracks well. Kagome had not found any hard evidence, and she had not been fortunate enough to stumble across the traitor while conversing on the assassination plan.  
  
'Dang it, Kagome, just relax and let yourself go to sleep.' She reprimanded herself. After stretching out and then letting her muscles relax, she finally found a comfortable position wrapped up in her covers and drifted into dreamland.  
  
00000000000000000 Kagome's Dream 0000000000000000000  
  
Kagome was walking through the forest, but everything around her seemed to be moving in hyper speed. Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Kirara, and Shippo were all walking in front of her.  
  
Sango quickly glanced over at Miroku, and Kagome could see the brilliant pink line connecting her to the monk. The tajiya looked away and the affection line vanished.  
  
'I remember this. Wait. No, I don't want to relive this, please, no.' Kagome pleaded, but as this thought floated through her consciousness, she glanced to the figure in red leading the troupe.  
  
'No, I don't want this.' She pleaded with whatever guides her dreams to stop, but as she continued to look at Inuyasha, another line appeared connecting her to him.  
  
Brilliant pink once again colored the line, but she also saw a silver strand braided into the main rope of line.  
  
'Silver. I never figured out what that meant.' She continued to watch as if her body was not her own, she felt pain, heartache, and loss as she once again will the affection line to turn green.  
  
The instant the color change was completed, Kagome was no longer in the forest. Looking around, she recognized her location. She was in the dojo.  
  
Sesshoumaru stood in front of her; his lips were mouthing words which went unheard. Kagome felt herself crouch into a defensive position, and the disappearance of the demon lord followed.  
  
She relived one of their shorter spars, and Kagome ended up back against the wall, pinned by her neck. 'Anyone else see a pattern here?' She thought sarcastically without bidding her mind to work.  
  
Sesshoumaru's mouth began to move again, Kagome could read his lips well enough to make out a few words. This was one of the few times when he had actually recommended strategies to her.  
  
Of course he never spoke of weaknesses, but he did teach her, in his own twisted way, how to defend herself against his recent attack.  
  
As Kagome realized what he was saying, she saw it. The affection line she was just so recently reacquainted with decided to make its arrival known. A thin silver line snaked its way towards her partner.  
  
'I do not love Sesshoumaru, so that rules out that choice. What else is their between him and me. What is silver?'  
  
She felt time pull her through more twists, and again she was in the dojo. Her outfit had changed, so she assumed it was a different day. Her body once again took control, and she found herself erecting a barrier to protect herself.  
  
Kagome felt a smile form on her lips as Sesshoumaru's wrist twitched slightly. Before she knew it, Kagome's shattered shield was now a weapon, and one dangerously sharp shard now hovered at his throat.  
  
Silver appeared again, only this time, Kagome saw that it originated from him.  
  
00000000000000000000 End Dream 000000000000000000000000  
  
Kagome woke completely confused. Thoughts and images floated through her mind. She had relived the pain of loss of Inuyasha, but now was not the time to focus on that. She needed to figure out what her dream was telling her. Silver, she was supposed to find its meaning.  
  
'When I defeated him, he began to respect me. Yes, that's got to be it. Silver is respect. It makes sense. I respect him, and now I know, that he respects me as well.'  
  
Kagome smiled as she began to sleep again, but this time, no dreams harassed her.  
  
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII  
  
Sesshoumaru arrived back two days earlier than planned. Although this really didn't cause any problems, it did throw the servants into a tizzy.  
  
Everyone rushed around making sure everything was perfect. Kagome had quite a time avoiding the frantic individuals.  
  
Sesshoumaru had Kagome report to him the minute he had a few minutes peace.  
  
Kagome told him of her suspicions. Though, she hated to admit it, her main suspect was no longer Aishi, but Samon.  
  
There was no hard evidence to support her theory, but Sesshoumaru hadn't suspected her to find any. All of his generals were very intelligent; easy evidence would not be collected.  
  
Kagome spoke of how tense he seemed at all times; he was constantly looking over his shoulder as if he didn't want someone to see what he was doing, and he just had a guilty countenance.  
  
But above all else, as she was walking away from him, she could have sworn she heard him mumble something about poison to himself. At that time, she sprinted back to him to see if she had heard correctly, but he had stopped speaking his thoughts.  
  
Though this proves nothing, Sesshoumaru tended to agree with her. Kagome had no idea of Samon's usual attitude, so she had nothing to compare his recent actions with past attitudes. But Sesshoumaru had noticed a difference in the demon general as well.  
  
Without hard evidence or an overheard conversation, Sesshoumaru would do nothing but watch him. If Samon was not the traitor and he was punished for intended crimes, the true turncoat would go into hiding. If this happened, he might never be found.  
  
And Sesshoumaru wanted this to end, now, but he would not get his way as of yet.  
  
The new troops would be arriving tonight and through tomorrow evening. He needed to go to his generals and ensure the proper accommodations, conduct, and training. He also had the duty to greet his soldiers as a whole once they arrived.  
  
He needed to make a few last minute preparations.  
  
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII  
  
Lord Sesshoumaru, Taiyoukai of the Western Lands had officially greeted his new recruits and had dismissed them to their quarters for the evening.  
  
Tomorrow training would begin. He was always present on the first day of training and would sporadically show up to assist in the more difficult lessons, but tomorrow would be a hard day.  
  
He needed to get some rest. Sesshoumaru retired to his quarters, changed and slipped into bed.  
  
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII  
  
Kagome had given up on sleeping for the evening. There were too many people walking through the corridors to be safe spying right now; everyone was too wound up after the official ceremony welcoming the new soldiers. But she couldn't sleep, so what else was there to do but spy?  
  
She put on some comfortable clothing and began combing the hallways looking for suspicious activities.  
  
As she was making her way towards the soldiers' areas, she was alerted to a powerful aura headed straight towards her; it was still quite a distance away, but she recognized it as Aishi. Kagome felt him stop momentarily, then it blurred.  
  
He was racing towards her at an unimaginable speed. On instinct, Kagome placed a barrier in front of her.  
  
Aishi sped around the corner only to plow into her shield. Shaking himself, he leaned forward to make sure what just happened, but before anything could be done, a huge explosion rocked the far end of the corridor in which they stood.  
  
Flames began to lick the walls, rubble now littered the aisle, and she could hear the clang of weapons and metal ringing throughout the area.  
  
Everything was going down now, and Aishi had started it. Why else would he be running from the explosion? 'Coward.' Kagome thought as she prepared herself for battle.  
  
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII  
  
A/N: Ok I have gotten several reviews on Kagome's "obvious" "stupidity" about not suspecting the other two generals. (Funny, nobody can ever remember their name...) First of all, no, I am not offended. I would probably be thinking the same thing if I was reading the story, BUT since I'm writing it, I am trying to put myself into the character's mindset.  
  
Let's think of this from Kagome's point of view...this guy has tried to force her to do...unseemly things (misogynist bastard), has a massive inferiority complex towards pretty much everyone but Sesshoumaru, and ...well she basically is just looking for any reason to fry his ass. So, yes, she is overlooking the other generals, but...have you ever wanted something so bad that you convinced yourself that it was true? If you have, that's pretty much what Kagome is experiencing. If not, well I guess you couldn't relate, but it is a(n) (common in my experiences) experience.  
  
But as to Kagome's ignorance (stupid is such a harsh word), I have tried to portray how intelligent she is through her banter, abilities, speech patterns, and battle strategies. If ya'll are still questioning her intelligence...I have failed in describing her character. I guess I'll have to go back and fix that...eventually.  
  
SORRY for the long A/N, but I got enough reviews on this subject for me to feel the need to clarify. Hopefully it won't happen again.  
  
IMPORTANT::::Ok, I know I cut it of in a bad place and before I normally do, but a huge, HUGE battle scene is coming up. I didn't want to interrupt that, SO I'm going to update again on Wednesday because of the short chapter.  
  
Hear that??? I'M GOING TO UPDATE AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY!!!! 


	23. The Storm

Enchanted Orbs  
  
Chapter 22 The Storm  
  
Aishi was on his way at near top speed to Sesshoumaru's chambers, but before he could even gather his speed, he slammed into a barrier.  
  
He heard her thoughts and knew what was happening. "I don't have time for this. Remove yourself from my path, bitch, and you'll spare you life for a few hours." He spat at her. 'She'll regret thinking me a coward.' He thought as he narrowed his eyes looking for the slight distortion of her illusion.  
  
Kagome revealed herself to him, and all his suspicions were confirmed. It was the servant from two weeks ago. He recognized her by her scent and form; she had a womanly form but was more muscular than most of her gender. She stood strong before him now. The servant's bowed head and submissiveness gone, but she was deceiving.  
  
Her posture and attitude blazoned her confidence and power, but her slender figure and small, delicate hands were wholly contradictory.  
  
Defiant blue eyes pierced him to the core, and she smiled as she dropped her barrier. "Fleeing the scene of the crime, Aishi? Why, that's horribly rude." Kagome said in a taunting voice.  
  
She needed to stall him long enough to figure out what exactly was going on, and perhaps she could pull the exact plan from him. 'Hey it always worked for Scooby and the gang.'  
  
Any doubts Aishi had about this girl being strange were now confirmed. 'Who the hell is Scooby?' Her dialect and inflection were different from any he had ever heard, her speech patterns were worse than that of a foreigner, and the clothing she was wearing were like nothing he'd ever seen or heard.  
  
Kagome seethed when she saw her enemy take an appraising glance at her. 'What the hell? He threatens my life and then checks me out. Oh no, I don't think so!!'  
  
Aishi heard her thoughts, but before he could decipher what she meant, he heard...  
  
"Hey, my face is up here!" She waved her hand to attract his attention from her other aspects.  
  
"Yes, I've sliced through enough necks to know where the head is, now move! I need to get to Sesshoumaru." He couldn't spare a moment. His purpose was urgent.  
  
"I'll bet you do, but if you can not get past me, you won't stand a chance against him."  
  
At that time, Sesshoumaru came down the hallway. "What is the meaning of this?" He asked in his flat tone. The explosion had drawn his attention, but he would not leave his chambers in a state of undress. He also wanted to find Kagome to find out what had happened.  
  
He didn't even need to search her out; her aura blazed so brightly that it attracted his immediate attention.  
  
"Lord Sesshoumaru, I was just on my way to inform you not to investigate the explosion. It is a trap set by Samon and Rokoshi to lure you, and those loyal to you, to your deaths, but your spy detained me. Forgive my tardiness, my lord." Aishi said with a bowed head.  
  
Kagome's jaw dropped. 'There's no way.'  
  
"And how do you know this for certain?" Sesshoumaru questioned.  
  
"I overheard them talking only seconds before I came to inform you."  
  
"That is a lie." Kagome interjected.  
  
Both males looked at her. Aishi curled his lip with the accusation, but held his silence.  
  
"I was feeling out auras from this very spot right before the explosion, and Rokoshi and Samon were no where near each other. In fact, Aishi stopped near Samon most likely conversing in the same manner of which he just accused Rokoshi. My only hang up is why you are ratting out your partner. Are you expecting us to dispose of him for you? Do you want me to do your dirty work for you, coward?"  
  
Aishi growled. What he said was a partial lie. He had heard Samon's thoughts; true, Rokoshi was nowhere near him, but Samon's thoughts told of Rokoshi's role and guilt.  
  
He has never told any outside his family of his thought-reading capabilities, but without revealing it, Sesshoumaru would never believe him.  
  
"Yes, what I said was a partial truth..." Kagome beamed at his confession. "...but I am not guilty of what you accuse me of, bitch." He glared at her. His glare faded, and his head sagged slightly.  
  
"I have never revealed this ability of mine to anyone. I was trying to keep it that way, but in the essence of time and credibility, I will confess. I have the ability to read thoughts. I was passing Samon and heard of his ploy. Rokoshi's guilt was revealed through his thoughts, so I included him in the fictional conversation." He turned to his lord. "My loyalty has never swayed, my lord, and you must believe that my warning holds true. There are soldiers waiting in ambush right around the corner, we must take action quickly."  
  
"And we're just supposed to believe you when you just confessed to a lie?" Kagome spouted off. "What proof do we have?"  
  
Aishi grinned. "Only if you tell me who this Scooby person is. Also, the night when I caught you following me is more proof. You were completely concealed. How else could I have found you if not hearing your thoughts?"  
  
Kagome's eyes widened when he mentioned the dog detective. She had to give it to him; he could not have guessed that when cartoons didn't even exist yet.  
  
"That is enough bickering from the two of you. I would like to know why you feel my life is in danger from a few soldiers. Even with the advantage of surprise, I would not fall to such a trick." Sesshoumaru leveled a flat gaze to his general.  
  
"It is not only a few soldiers, lord. All of the soldiers summoned by Samon are traitorous; they are loyal to him and Rokoshi. And, if Samon's thoughts are accurate, hundreds more have arrived. He was waiting for word of their arrival before causing the explosion."  
  
Sesshoumaru's brow creased in concentration. His thoughts on how to deal with the situation presented were interrupted by Kagome's nervous whisper.  
  
"Sesshoumaru, don't look now, but we're being surrounded." Her face told of anxiety.  
  
Both males looked sharply around them, but nothing was seen.  
  
"Stupid girl, what are you..." Aishi growled but was interrupted.  
  
"Use your senses, there are auras, hundreds of them, gathering around us." Kagome hissed in a hushed voice.  
  
Most youkai can sense auras. It is not a difficult task, but most prefer to rely on their superior sight or smell to identify others.  
  
She was right; hundreds of auras were within feet of them, closing in slowly on all sides. It was true they were surrounded, but the group was much thicker on one side.  
  
'Apparently, they are trying to force us to the site of the explosion. Aishi must be right; it is a trap.' Sesshoumaru registered.  
  
Kagome raised a wall hoping to stall them, but how do you shield yourself from nothing?  
  
"Sesshoumaru, what are they?" She asked hesitantly.  
  
"Vengeful spirits. Someone gathered them here." He replied without a hint of care in his voice.  
  
"I don't see the point." Aishi said. "There's not much harm a formless spirit can do."  
  
Sesshoumaru held his silence, but he had his doubts that they would be here to serve no purpose. Spirits are hard to bring about and impossible to control. Someone wanted him either distracted or wounded by these specters. Could they wound him? Was he really willing to find out, how can you fight something that's formless and already dead?  
  
'If someone had the power to conjure and group them here, they might have been able to give the ghouls enough form to attack.' Sesshoumaru's calculating mind was flying through possibilities, but this was the only one that seemed likely.  
  
Kagome could sense them pressing against her barrier. The dome was completely submersed in them, but they were not passing through. Whether they couldn't or if they were waiting for something, she could not tell.  
  
A few seconds of calm passed, then it seems the patience of the auras dwindled. Two or three seemed very excited about breaking her barrier. By sheer will alone, Kagome kept them at bay. It seems her shield will only retard them, but not completely guard against them.  
  
Movement to the side alerted her to another's presence.  
  
"Lord Sesshoumaru, what's going on?" Shouron had entered the room. He saw the barrier and the pensive look on his lord's visage, but saw no reason for the barrier.  
  
A few of the ghouls must have tired with trying to penetrate the shield because they started drifting towards Shouron.  
  
Like birds swooping onto their prey, they advanced on him.  
  
He saw a horrified female's face turn to him in warning before he felt sharp pains sear through his side, down his arms, and across his cheek.  
  
Shouron smelled his own blood; instantly alert to danger, he readied himself for another round of attacks.  
  
"No, Sesshoumaru, we have to do something. What can we do to help him?"  
  
He didn't answer her; he was engrossed in thought. When Kagome saw Shouron in danger, her power flared. When that happened, he felt her barrier's form shift from a solid wall of protection, to the purity shield commonly used by mikos. The spirits shifted away from that energy.  
  
'Of course, spirits bent on destruction would not fare well against a pure soul's power.' He thought, momentarily overlooking Kagome's original powers because of her new attacks.  
  
"Kagome use a miko shield." He commanded.  
  
The shield became translucent pink, and all the auras put space between them and their barricade, but that only caused more pain to the unprotected general.  
  
Shouron had since tapped into his senses and could see his attackers. He dodged their second rush, but when the shield shifted, more had joined in to torment him instead of their original target.  
  
Kagome hadn't felt so helpless since she had been given full access to her power. Racking her brain, the only thing she could think of was to pull him through the barrier which could hurt more than help. Shouron might not appreciate being burned, but her doubts were dispelled when she saw that the attacks where changing in their intensity.  
  
At first it seemed the ghosts were toying with him, but now the attacks were aimed for vital areas. And Shouron seemed to be having more trouble dodging. Mind made up, Kagome twitched her fingers.  
  
Predicting which way he would dodge the incoming attack, Kagome flicked her wrist.  
  
A brilliant white whip of light shot out towards the general, wrapped around his waist, and yanked him back towards the shield.  
  
Parting the barrier as best she could without allowing the enemy in, Kagome succeeded in rescuing the general, but she neglected to dodge his form flying at her.  
  
Without thinking, Sesshoumaru utilized his speed to pull Kagome out of the way. Shouron regained his wits and curled into himself; flipping gracefully, he landed crouched where Kagome had stood seconds before.  
  
Aishi watched from the sidelines, amazed. She held much more power than he had originally assumed, but what surprised him the most was her interaction with Sesshoumaru.  
  
She was completely disrespectful to his lord, never addressing him by his proper title, never bowing to him, and her manner of speaking to him. This, somehow, didn't shock him so much as Sesshoumaru allowing it. Now he goes so far as to protect her from her own mistake. But Aishi's mouth almost dropped with what happened next.  
  
As Sesshoumaru released this girl, he addressed her. "A whip?" He asked with a laughing tone and a slight smirk.  
  
She smiled at him, "Hey, I've been subject to yours enough to want to try my own hand with one."  
  
Aishi witnessed the joking manner of his lord in complete disbelief, but his thoughts were cut short.  
  
"Kagome?" An incredulous Shouron asked with awe.  
  
She turned to him and smiled.  
  
"But, but you're dead." He looked at her like she was one of the ghosts who had been attacking him.  
  
Aishi rolled his eyes.  
  
"Really?" Kagome said with mirth sparkling in her eyes. "Because I could have sworn this morning that I was alive. I look alive to me, what do you think, Sesshoumaru?" She teased.  
  
Sesshoumaru gave her a dry look. "Kagome, I believe we still have a problem." He said while pointing his finger at the encroaching specters.  
  
"Oh, them." 'Think pure thoughts.' She joked with herself as she gathered her energy around her.  
  
Aishi sent her a curious look at her befuddling thoughts.  
  
Taking hold of the purity shield, she grimaced as she infused it with more of power. The shield became almost liquid in its consistency, and she sent it outwards towards the aggressors.  
  
The demons watched as energy, dangerous to them as well, undulated over their heads and took the form of wave to encompass all of the beings surrounding them.  
  
Souls, now pure, floated harmlessly skyward through the ceiling and away from them.  
  
"Now what?" Kagome asked as she turned to Sesshoumaru.  
  
"I believe we have a trap to spring." He replied flatly.  
  
"But, my lord, surely you don't intend to walk into their trap?" Aishi protested fiercely for his lord's life would be in grave danger if he turned the corner.  
  
"They will be taught to respect their lord, even if it is only with their last thought." Sesshoumaru said through clenched teeth.  
  
He began walking down the corridor. Aishi, Kagome, and Shouron moved to follow him, but they were distracted when Shouron flinched.  
  
His wounds were healing, but were still painful for him.  
  
"Here, Shouron, let me help." Kagome volunteered.  
  
He smiled. "Your special healing abilities?" He asked referring to previous conversations.  
  
"Magic." She replied and wiggled her fingers as her hand glowed a warm yellow. Five yellow orbs began circling him, focusing on his injuries.  
  
Within seconds all traces of his blood were gone, no remnants remained on skin or fabric.  
  
Aishi and Shouron really didn't know how to act around Kagome. This human girl had abilities that far surpassed any of her race, but she acted as if it was the most normal of occurrences. But their confusion lasted only seconds.  
  
The three were alerted to the absence of their lord when the sound of metal clashing and screams of pain echoed through the halls.  
  
All three rushed around the corner to aide their lord.  
  
When Kagome turned the corner, she couldn't contain the gasp that slipped from her throat. She froze as the two generals rushed passed her to join in the fray, but the sight that met her was just too overwhelming.  
  
The corridor which led to the soldiers' training areas was completely demolished. Flames licked the rubble left from the explosion. The entire end of the hallway was gone leaving an open area filled to the brim with armed youkai who were focused on Sesshoumaru.  
  
In the distance, there was a field that was used to simulate mock battles in the distance, and that field was filled with replacements to attack Sesshoumaru as soon as the front line fell to the taiyoukai.  
  
'Kami, help us.' Kagome silently begged before following the two generals through the chaos to help Sesshoumaru.  
  
She could feel his aura flash everywhere in separate instances. He was moving so quickly in his attacks, but if he stopped for any amount of time, she knew he would die. Watching the flash of swords, the green blare of his acid whip whirling around him protectively, and the occasional flaming spears of Toukijin's attacks, Kagome knew that the spars in the dojo had been only a sample of his skills.  
  
Silver white hair curled around him in his dance of death before he relocated to end another's life. His face never changed, never allowed his opponents to judge his next move. Sesshoumaru gave no pattern in his movements except for his lethal accuracy.  
  
He was a master of battle, and he was beautiful. Mesmerized by his beauty, it took a lightning bolt ten feet away to draw her out of her trance.  
  
Kagome snapped her attention to the general in front of her. Shouron's golden ponytail was fraying on the ends with the power he was using. She giggled, his hair looked like a cat's tail when threatened. His eyes; formerly brilliant blue had taken on a silver blue color.  
  
His hair and attire began whipping around him, and Kagome saw his aura become fire swirling around him.  
  
Twin tornadoes funneled down from the sky and began decimating the soldiers waiting in the far end of the field. Lightning struck repeatedly, easily guided to the metal weapons of the abundant enemies.  
  
Kagome saw soldiers gathering around him. 'He said he's not as good with close combat.' She moved to help guard him in close quarters, but his voice stopped her.  
  
"Aishi!" His calm voice rang above the din of combat.  
  
Kagome hadn't noticed the other general, but she understood why at that point. A flash of fire raced across Shouron's path and turned back into the soldiers; the fire served a dual purpose. It drove Shouron's attackers back a bit, and it allowed him to manipulate the fire.  
  
General Shouron could manipulate all of the elements, but it was beyond his ability to create it. Borrowing some of Aishi's fire, Shouron kindled it into a raging flame and used it for close combat attack and defense.  
  
'Wow.' Kagome was dumbfounded. 'For two generals that don't seem to get along well, they certainly are compatible on the battlefield.'  
  
Focusing on Aishi's aura, Kagome tried to track him down. She wanted to see his skills in action. From the demonstration with Shouron, she figured he was a flame thrower of some sort, but she was wrong.  
  
The fire streak she had seen was Aishi, not a separate attack. She realized this now. It appeared that he had forsaken his humanoid form and was now a quadruped. What animal he was, she couldn't tell for his body was flame. There seemed to be nothing solid to him; he appeared invincible in this form, for what can harm fire?  
  
"Kagome, look out!!" Shouron's voice rang through her head, and instantly she erected a shield around her immediate form.  
  
A sword was stopped only inches from her ear. Pushing her barrier away from her as she turned, she knocked her attacker off guard and used his surprise to her advantage. A ball of pure energy ripped from her to purify the youkai who dared attack her when her back was turned.  
  
'Time to go to work, Kagome.' She thought.  
  
"Can I join you?" Kagome yelled as she parted the soldiers with an orb and made her way to Shouron's side.  
  
"As you will." He said. Fire flickered from his fingertips as lightning crashed around the surrounding soldiers.  
  
Aishi and Sesshoumaru utilized their extraordinary speed to lessen the enemy within the mass. Shouron used his long distance capabilities to keep more troops from advancing, and Kagome protected Shouron and purified youkai after youkai that became frustrated trying to catch the swifter of their targets.  
  
Fireworks of Kagome's attacks reigned over the attacking youkai. With time, she had given up on only purifying the enemy. She did not wish to kill anyone, but with the sheer abundance of the enemy and the lives of all four on the line, Kagome changed her philosophy temporarily.  
  
Violet discs the size of her forearm sliced through the flesh of the encroaching youkai, and pink spheres of pure energy scorched those unfortunate enough not to dodge.  
  
Time passed. Even to Kagome, who was accustomed to high-intensity, fast paced spars with a taiyoukai, the battle was draining. It seemed she had been fighting for days, but the sun was only beginning to rise. She had plenty of power remaining, but her body was getting exhausted from the energy coursing through her. Kagome swallowed these facts and continued to keep the advancing youkai at bay.  
  
She was having difficulties though, the more she took out, the more that flooded into the now crowded area surrounding the general and her. They were gaining ground, and even with the assistance of Shouron's fire manipulations, the enemy was spilling into her comfort area.  
  
Ice cold pain ripped through her body, and she screamed out in surprise. In her anxiety of how to prevent their complete approach, she forgot to defend herself against long range attacks.  
  
She felt a fatal piercing through her heart, but quickly removed the weapon and healed herself before her heart could stop pumping her life's fluid. Shouron turned to see blood dripping down her arms, chest, and legs and a yellow glow surrounding a rapidly-closing hole in her chest.  
  
He quickly turned the sparks jumping across his finger tips into an encircling wall of fire to protect the two of them. "Are you alright?" At that point, Kagome noticed blood adorning his garbs as well. His endurance was dwindling, also.  
  
"Yes." She breathed out. Kagome looked at the blood-soaked weapon in her hand. The cold she thought was from her heart being temporarily stopped was not. She held ice in her hand, a dagger of ice had pierced her ribcage. Shouron saw the same thing she did and growled.  
  
"Samon, show yourself, you coward!" He called as he released the wall of fire.  
  
Another wall of ice daggers flew at them. Kagome raised a barrier as Shouron turned the ice into harmless water which splattered against the shield.  
  
The attacking youkai backed away was Samon approached. For the first time Kagome had ever seen, he appeared confident. He was no longer the apprehensive youkai that she had spied on over the past two weeks.  
  
"General Shouron, how good to see you. How are you faring?" He asked with a smirk while looking over his injuries.  
  
Shouron only replied with a growl.  
  
"And I don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting you, my dear. That was a nice little trick I just saw. I guess next time I'll need to aim for your head, so you can't heal yourself. Though, it would be a shame to kill a beauty such as you. Maybe I'll try to tame you myself."  
  
"Keep dreaming." Kagome snapped as she crouched preparing for his attacks.  
  
"Pity." Samon smirked and continued his path to them.  
  
Shouron sent a blast of flame at him to halt him. When the fire subsided as mist was all that remained, but the steam continued to drift towards them. Kagome raised purity shield once again not believing he was so easily defeated.  
  
The mist stopped as if foiled, and it began to take shape. The steam liquefied and took the form of a man only to give way to Samon, still smirking.  
  
He looked straight at her. "I must admit, you're a smart little miko, but that will not prevent your death."  
  
"We will just see about that." Kagome hissed.  
  
With a sweep of his arms, Samon sent a wave of ice daggers at them again.  
  
"You never learn, do you?" Shouron responded as he turned the ice to water once again.  
  
But Kagome saw the gleam of glee in his eyes at Shouron's foil.  
  
"On the contrary, I do." He spat as the water drops crystallized into sharp ice splinters. Before he could react, the splinters pelted Shouron's body.  
  
Kagome didn't expect this to hurt him, after all, he was youkai, but she realized Samon's rationale when she saw blood trailing like tears down Shouron's face.  
  
The splinters pierced the sensitive tissues composing his eyes. Even tiny slivers of ice can kill when directed to the brain through the eye sockets.  
  
A wicked smile crossed Samon's face.  
  
Shouron's body slumped and collapsed to the ground next to Kagome as she watched in horror. Sightless holes that were once dazzling blue stared up at her, blood still oozing from his fatal wounds.

* * *

AN: Yes, I know...I am evil, but never fear, I'll update again this weekend. Just think only two to three days until you find out what happens next. AND I WARNED YOU that there would be a storm...so no flames. I could be mean and say I wasn't going to update for a week, but no...I'm being nice after my evil ending. See ya in a few days 


	24. Resurrections and Realizations

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 23

Sesshoumaru looked up from his current conquests when he heard Kagome's piercing scream. He cursed himself for not watching her more closely, but he was defending his kingdom, which was more important, right?

But the feeling of dread that snaked it way through his entire body made him rethink that.

His distraction cost him more of his blood. He felt the flesh over his ribs torn by a passing weapon. His attentions snapped back to the surrounding battle.

Quickly dispatching the surrounding soldiers enclosing him, he sped towards Kagome, praying to whatever was above him that she was alright.

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Aishi heard the scream of Kagome, also. 'Or at least I hope that's her. If that was a male, whatever dignity he had in life is now gone for screaming like a little girl.' He thought with a vicious smirk.

His fiery snout turned to face the direction he heard the scream and saw a miko's shield interrupting the chaos of battle. It stood like a drop of water upon wood, completely out of place yet blending in at the same time adding more chaos to the scene.

Aishi felt the attacks surrounding him become more furious. The soldiers still continued their fruitless attempts to spear, stab, and slice him. The ancient firecat smiled at his assailants.

Nothing could hurt him in this form, even water only turned him into smoke which he could emerge from eventually. It had taken centuries to perfect, but now that he had, these infidels that betrayed his lord, their lord, they would pay with their lives.

Snarling fiercely, he began ripping apart the traitors with teeth and claws made of fire and brimstone, the substance of hell itself.

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Samon was laughing; she could hear him through the barrier. Kagome didn't care.

The war raged around her, but she cared not. Dropping to her knees she covered Shouron's eyes with her hands. His beautiful blue eyes had turned to voids, black holes.

Hands glowing yellow, she restored his eyes and eyelids. The tear-like trails of blood disappeared under her guidance, and there lay her friend.

Shouron, the only one who was nice to her in this damnable place, the only one who befriended her despite her humanity, despite her 'weakness,' was now passing from this world because she hadn't protected him.

She saw the warning signs, only desperate attempt the same attacks twice in a row without some sort of plan behind it. Kagome saw the excitement in Samon's iceberg eyes when Shouron converted his attack, but she didn't react fast enough.

She didn't react at all. 'Its all my fault.'

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Sesshoumaru saw Kagome drop to her knees behind the barrier. Her aura was strong, so he knew she was fine. But he saw Shouron and felt no aura.

'He's dead.' He thought shocked. 'How did he die and Kagome come out unhurt.' Then he heard a malicious laugh; turning towards it he saw Samon.

'That explains it; Samon and Shouron had a feud between them.' The sudden clanging of armor and swords jolted him out of his thoughts.

He dodged the incoming blows and sent several to their deaths with his acid whip. A wall of ice daggers decided to take off his head, but Sesshoumaru saw them and easily evaded.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, have you come to pay your respects?" Samon taunted. "Though I think they'll be wasted. Your death will come soon for, you see, there are still hundreds of my soldiers left, and your side seems to be dwindling."

Sesshoumaru sliced through four soldiers in one swing, and his acid whip lashed out at the cowardly general who was standing behind them.

His face retained his stone-like façade when Samon's chest became water, allowing his whip to splash through. The water took on a greenish hue only to return to Samon's haori when the whip was retrieved.

Even though his face never changed, Samon knew his former lord was surprised. "You like my new trick? I picked it up from Aishi; I've always admired the invincibility of his firecat form, so I adapted it for me. Aren't you proud, my lord." The sarcasm practically dripped from his last statement, and Sesshoumaru growled fiercely.

He was about to charge the arrogant general when Kagome's shield formed around him. He felt himself being pulled backwards and was bewildered when he saw the shield around him merge into the main barrier Kagome was using to protect her and Shouron's body.

Samon screamed in outrage. He wanted to kill Sesshoumaru; he wanted to watch him die painfully slowly for all the years he obeyed him, but now he was beyond reach.

The taiyoukai should have been furious. Kagome had interfered with a battle, but when he snapped his attention to her to let her know this, she wasn't even watching him. Did she even know that her power had protected him? There was no way to tell.

He sighed and walked over to him. This could be the only chance he had to pay his last respects to one of his generals. Sesshoumaru regally walked over to her.

He stood behind her and looked down at Shouron's body. There was no trace of any fatal injury; he appeared to be sleeping peacefully. 'Kagome would have healed him in her last respects.' He thought. But he was still puzzled at the extent of her mourning.

Sesshoumaru grasped at Tenseiga to revive the fallen general. 'With so many enemies still surrounding us, Shouron would be very useful.' He thought momentarily letting the pain of his injuries override his pride.

But his heirloom did not respond. The sword only allowed him power over death when he held compassion for the one fallen. There was no compassion towards his general. Yes, Shouron was a good soldier, a remarkable fighter, but he died fighting. A death Sesshoumaru knew would, in all likelihood, overtake him.

He placed a hand on her shoulder and spoke gently. "Shouron died an honorable death; he will be remembered and praised." It was the most comforting thing he knew to do, the only thing he was willing to do with so many watching just beyond her barrier.

She sniffed and tried to reign in her tears, something the demons around her would see as a weakness. Sesshoumaru watched her attempt to adopt a solemn but stern face. She failed. Her face twisted, and again her tears fell. He was still baffled by her emotions over one to which she had no connection.

As if in answer to his questions, she spoke. It was quiet a secret shared between only them.

"Shouron was my friend, the only one who didn't care about my being human or my unknown power. He was the first in this place to want to know about me, plain, simple Kagome, and I will miss him greatly."

Her sight had never wavered from Shouron's visage. Tears streamed down her face, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy. His hand, still on Tenseiga, felt the familiar pulse as the demons chaining his soul appeared before the taiyoukai.

As he was about to draw his sword, Kagome stood. Tears still streaming down her face, she turned a look that held within it the fires of hell at Samon.

When he saw the girl stand, Samon's rage at the loss of the general disappeared and was replaced by a smirk.

"Well, little one, are you done with the corpse, now? If you are, we still have a score to settle." He leered at her. Kagome's fire poured over him and something sparked in his loins. 'Well, maybe I won't kill her. She will be my toy, a spoil of war.' He smirked once again.

He watched in fascination as she began to walk towards him. Slow steady steps took her to him. Kagome approached her barrier and didn't pause her steps; passing through it like a ghost surpassing walls, she kept her pace.

Sesshoumaru shifted his position in the barrier in order to see her movements. Lightning bolts of pink electricity sparked across her skin, and a supernatural wind spurred by her own power, lifted and twirled her hair. She was terrifyingly beautiful in her rage. Sesshoumaru couldn't help his thoughts, but despite her humanity, he wanted her.

The soldiers around her took a step back in anxiety fearing her wrath. Samon stood his ground and licked his lips in anticipation of the beauty coming for him.

"You know, girl, I've changed my mind. I no longer wish your death. I think I could find much more pleasurable tasks for which you could be suited.

Kagome stopped inches from him. His comment glided through her, but didn't affect her. Samon lifted his hand and ran it down the back of her arm.

"Yes, much more pleasurable." He said in a husky voice.

Sesshoumaru seethed from within the barrier. He had tried to break it the moment he heard Samon's first comment, but Kagome's shield held him fast.

"Don't touch me." Kagome said with a calm voice, but inside a torrent of emotions were flooding her being. "You killed a friend of mine in cold blood; for that, you will be the one to die."

Sesshoumaru, hearing her words, turned to Shouron again. The small youkai were still crawling over him like ants. Drawing his sword, he quickly swiped the sword over and through them.

Shouron gasped. Oxygen returning to his body, he looked around confused, but he only saw Sesshoumaru standing over him. His lord was looking at something else.

Following his gaze he saw Kagome.

Before he could totally piece together what was happening, he saw a light erupt from her.

Kagome released a wave of purity from within her body. Flowing out of her like ripples in a pond when disturbed the power consumed and destroyed those around her.

For the first time since Kagome had left him in the shield, Sesshoumaru was glad he was still stuck within, but with that thought he remembered Aishi.

Kagome had sealed his death with her outburst, or so he thought.

Aishi, still clawing through enemy upon enemy, felt the sudden spike in power. The flames on the back of his neck tingled as he and the soldiers he was fighting both turned to see the cause. Aishi's jaw dropped when he saw the waves approaching. He hadn't expected that slip of a girl to hold such power.

He underestimated her and knew he was about to pay for it, but before he would just lie down to die, he searched for his lord. As long as Sesshoumaru was safe, he could die at peace.

He leapt into the sky to get an aerial view; he was still in the waves path, but from here, he could see Sesshoumaru through her barrier. The power emitted from Kagome was being deflected by her shield.

Aishi breathed a sigh of relief and let the wave pass over and through him. He felt pain, but he also felt a peace, a warm.

He closed his eyes to the feeling, and in his head, he saw a picture of the girl. The cause of his certain death, smiled at him. Brilliant blue eyes sparkled at him as she spoke. "Don't worry, I didn't forget about you."

His eyes shot open with her words; an incredulous feeling overtook him as he looked around.

Nothing surrounded him. The piles of bodies were gone, the field empty, and all the bloodstains that scarred the ground were only memories.

The wind picked up and his hair swept across his face. 'Hair?' Aishi looked down to realize that he was no longer in his true form but had been returned to his humanoid shape. Not only had that changed, but now there was a shimmering pink barrier protecting him. 'Was that what saved me? Could she really be strong enough to wipe out an entire army and have the presence of mind to save me? I am not even on good terms with her...amazing.' Awe filled him.

He looked over to the barrier and was surprised to see that Samon was still standing before Kagome.

Samon looked around him in shock. Everyone was gone, 'But they will still die.' He thought determined.

Aishi made his way back to his lord. He hesitated at the main barrier, but proceeded to walk through, the shield around him merging with the larger one to become one as it allowed his passage.

Sesshoumaru was injured in several places; they were injuries that were not fatal, but would need attention soon. Shouron was unharmed in any way. 'Strange.' Aishi thought.

After assessing his comrades, he turned to his newest. He might not adore her, but she was still a companion, and he did respect her now.

She was facing off against Samon who had survived the blast by turning to steam and regenerating himself from the particles of steam that had not been purified by the blast.

'How is she supposed to defeat him?' All of the generals thought as the looked on.

Samon spoke. "That was quite a trick my dear, but as you can see, I'll not be defeated this day. Give up and I'll be gentle when I take you." His voice was lusty and Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed red briefly.

"You will be defeated, and you will fall to me." Kagome promised with a death-like calm.

Waving her hand, a dome shaped barrier was formed around the general. Kagome walked forward and mentally commanded the barrier to shrink around him.

It closed in on him, crushing him slowly until the barrier burned the first layer of skin off. Samon took the pain for a few moments to prove to her she would not win, and then he turned into steam.

Kagome smirked at his predictable actions. Walking forward, she commanded the barrier to close in more. It was now the size of a basketball floating at waist height.

"Now, Samon, you will learn that I, too, learn from past failures just as you taught Shouron."

She held the shield in her hands and funneled her power into the sphere. Kagome felt herself being drained quickly. Her body would not hold out much longer; there was too much stress, too much power coursing through her.

"Emotions." She whispered as she looked back towards the barrier. Shouron was standing there looking back at her. Her eyes widened in shock, and she almost dropped her concentration.

Quickly she closed her eyes and grasped for the thread of focus she almost lost.

Sesshoumaru was watching her intently as she disposed of his betrayer, but where was Rokoshi. He quickly focused and sought out the other traitor, but what he felt sent a shock through him.

Rokoshi was coming, yes, but he was not alone. It seems reinforcements had arrived, and they were just over the hilltop. He looked down at himself and recounted his injuries; Sesshoumaru knew he could still fight, but for how long?

Glancing at his remaining generals, he was grateful that they were unharmed because he was quite sure Kagome wouldn't be able to fight much longer.

Kagome was unaware of the approaching danger; she continued feeding the shield before her more purity. She needed to make sure the only thing within the barrier was pure energy, not a particle of water could survive or Samon could come back.

She felt the energy hit the shield, only a minute amount more could fit. Kagome gave a final push, and a yell tore from her throat as the energy within rammed into the shield and burst through, shattering the containing barrier.

Kagome collapsed on the ground breathing heavily. Sesshoumaru called out to her. "Kagome, can you make it back into the shield?"

She turned and smiled at her lord. He was looking at her intently, and she noticed the bloodstains on his clothing. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and felt the wind hit her face. "We did it." She breathed

"Kagome, are you able to make it back to the shield?" He repeated. It was only a few steps, but he was sure her body was tearing itself apart from the inside with the energy she had suspended.

"I think so." She managed faintly.

She crawled the distance to the shield, and the guys made way for her as she emerged on their side.

Sesshoumaru knelt beside her as she lay down on the ground. Kagome looked up at him with hazy eyes.

"We did it, Sesshoumaru." She said.

He gave her a gentle smile, but did not respond. He couldn't bring himself to tell her what was about to top the hillside.

Kagome was exhausted and was about to let sleep take her when she saw something she never expected to see.

The silver thread of light that she had seen in her dreams appeared connecting the two of them, but now another line had formed.

A fierce light that brought tears to her eyes connected her to him now. It was the color of the burning sun, searing her with its heat but also comforting her with its warmth.

She gasped as more energy flowed into her. It wasn't a huge amount, but she could stand on the own now.

Sesshoumaru forced her back down. "Go to sleep, Kagome. Let down your shield and rest." He said in a calm voice. If it was in him to beg, he would have. Sesshoumaru wished with all that he was that Kagome would not know what was about to transpire.

All of her work was now in vain because, even with the other two generals in top form, he doubted they would survive the incoming attack.

As it was, everyone had been fighting through the night, and all were exhausted.

Kagome gave him a confused look and smiled faintly. "I'm alright now, but I'm hungry can we..." but then she felt it.

Hundreds more were coming; all she had done was in vain.

Her smile faded. "No." She whispered. "It can't be."

* * *

OHHH, SO MAD!! I know this was supposed to be up yesterday, and guess what... I tried. 's server is apparently not worth a damn. I tried from 8:00pm to 2:30 am, and a server was "Not Available." So don't give me this "late" crap...I tried. Blame the system, not me! I'll update again soon, hope you liked it! 


	25. Bittersweet Kiss

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 24 Bittersweet Kiss

Sesshoumaru heard the desperate plea that Kagome uttered, and a feeling of complete failure washed over him. It was unbidden; it was unwanted. But it came.

He had never felt this way before; total defeat was never something experienced by him. Temporary setbacks were the closest he had ever come to this, but now, he had failed.

He was required to defend his lands. He needed to reaffirm his title. But he wanted to protect Kagome. He desired her safety and well-being. When did this happen? It didn't matter now because she knew.

She knew of the death sentence that was just reaching the field; she had realized the implications, and she was on the verge of tears. Sesshoumaru could see his reflection in her eyes; tears were brimming and about to fall. But what could he do?

He felt helpless.

But then her tears were forced back, and Kagome found her voice. It was shaky, but she forced the words to come.

"We can do this. There's not as many as last time. We just need a change in tactics, that's all." She gave him a half hearted smile.

Sesshoumaru hesitated but nodded, unsure of what action should be taken.

Shouron and Aishi watched the interaction between the girl and their lord. They glanced at each other but kept their silence.

A faint laugh brought their attention back to the girl. Kagome stared straight at Sesshoumaru as if begging for reassurance.

"I've fooled you with my strategies; Rokoshi and his goons shouldn't be a problem." Kagome said as if trying to convince herself. She looked at the ground for a moment then turned back to her lord.

"Sesshoumaru, why haven't you transformed? Aren't you stronger in that form?"

He hesitated a moment. "Yes, but that form is not suitable for this circumstance."

"Why not?" She asked.

"My inu (dog) form is more capable of handling mob-like situations, but my speed is greatly hindered. With as many soldiers as the enemy has, they would eventually overwhelm me. If I stay in my humanoid form, my speed allows me to kill without allowing as much harm to me."

"Oh." Kagome looked a bit crestfallen, but her brow creased and she began thinking again.

She didn't want to die. It was true, but that didn't seem quite right. 'No, the truth is...I don't want to see him die.' Sesshoumaru was her friend, and she didn't...no, that wasn't true either.

Realization struck. 'I can't watch him die. I would die before I let that happen.' Watching Shouron's death was tremendously painful, but Sesshoumaru? It brought tears to her eyes, and a numb feeling began to come over her.

White light seared through her vision. Her power was attacking her again. Pain ripped through her, and she instinctively cried out. "No!"

"Kagome, what's wrong?" Shouron's voice called to her, but she looked up and saw Sesshoumaru's face.

The normally stone face was gone. Gold eyes shone with worry, and his mouth was drawn into a slight frown.

Kagome smiled up at him, but the smile faded with gold. A golden thread of sunlight traveled from one to another. She had seen it moments before, but this time, it started with him.

'No! I won't let him die!' Her thoughts became determined. She shook off the inquiries of Shouron and estimated the number of enemies surrounding them.

"How many would we have to take out before you could transform." Her voice was set.

He turned his head to look out at the approaching soldiers. "About half."

Kagome's brow creased in concentration. "I can take care of a fourth of them." She turned to Aishi and Shouron. "Can you two get the rest?"

They nodded. She smiled. "Then you can finish up, Sesshoumaru."

The taiyoukai's eyes narrowed. "Kagome, what are you going to do?"

She closed her eyes. "I'm going to give them a few presents." It was hard, but she gathered her power, and was about to create a few landmines when Sesshoumaru stopped her.

"Kagome, don't."

The confusion held in her expression prompted him to continue. "You'll destroy yourself. Your body is already beginning to dissolve itself from within. You need to heal or you'll die." His voice was calm, but a pleading undertone was not wasted on Kagome.

She bowed her head with his statement. Her voice was so soft that Sesshoumaru nearly missed it. "Better me than you."

His eyes widened at her words, but it only helped to further set his determination. Kagome was his friend, a companion, and he would not allow her to die for him. He could still protect her, and he would with his dying breath.

"No." His voice left no room for argument. "My generals and I will fight this alone. You will return home during the distraction."

"I will not!" Whether she was hurt that he would send her away or mad because of his command, she did not know. "I will fight by your side, and damn you if you think that I..."

"Kagome, please." It was so soft. His voice was a gentle caress on her ears. She almost agreed because of it.

She turned pleading eyes to him. "I can't watch you die." She responded just as quietly.

Soft eyes looked back on her before they hardened with an emotion Kagome was unsure of...determination? Frustration? She couldn't decipher it.

He said nothing as he turned his back on her. Casting a quick glance at his generals in an unspoken warning, he shattered her barrier with his acid whip. The males were instantly ready for battle, and Kagome was just trying to hold back tears.

She stood as began to walk forward, following the others, when a barrier was posted over her. It was of Sesshoumaru's power. A warm feeling took hold of her briefly at his care, but it was replaced with a sick, sinking feeling because now she couldn't help. She was too weak to break his shield.

Trapped. That stupid, irritating helpless feeling came over her again. 'Damn it all.' What could she do but watch.

A cloud gathered under Shouron's feet and he was lifted into the sky. From above, he was not susceptible to the close combat fighting that he was adverse to, and this vantage gave him a better view of the battle below. Shouron now could direct his attacks more accurately, finding areas that are denser with enemies and destroying those cliques with his lightning or wind.

There are youkai that have flight capability, whether they were strong enough to use a cloud of youki or if their natural forms were enabled of flight, but they were easily thwarted by a cage of lightning that protected its master and a rush of wind that sent them barreling towards the earth.

Aishi seemed to be doing well, too. He wasn't in his fiery form this time, but he did have some definite skill with the double swords he was swinging. He was utilizing the same strategy Sesshoumaru had previously. Aishi moved with tremendous speed and agility, striking his opponents dead before they even sensed his approach.

Sesshoumaru seemed untouchable. He stood amidst a crowd of warriors, all of whom were trying desperately to wound him or hinder his speed, but all failed. His limbs were a blur of movement in his strikes and thrusts, only rarely did he have to defend.

The opponents began to thin somewhat. Kagome began to wonder if she had been overreacting earlier, but then she noticed something missing.

In all of the chaos of the war, she had really taken for granted the special attacks, but now that the lightning was glaringly absent, she missed its presence. Snapping her head to the sky, she saw Shouron trying to defend and attack against three airborne youkai. Two had wings and the other appeared to be floating on air. One fell from the sky with a bolt of lightning, but it didn't deter the other two.

Something pulled her attention away...it was Aishi. He was still a formidable enemy with his swirling swords now dripping with the blood of his enemies, but now, there was blood on his once spotless robes.

Upon closer inspection, Kagome noticed a rip in the fabric, over his hips, which was surrounded by a deep red stain. The stain was growing.

Not liking the trend, she sought out Sesshoumaru. He was still fighting, and though there was no visible ailment, she could tell he was slowing down. His speed about half of what he fought with during the previous battles, and Kagome noticed that he was forced to defend more often than before.

Everyone was losing speed, and they had only taken out half of the enemy. Things were not good.

She was slowly recovering, but there was no way she could do much of anything stuck behind Sesshoumaru's shield. 'Its like I'm in an aquarium, just watching everything around me able to do nothing about it.'

She watched in dismay was Shouron took a punch to the face before he retaliated with his own attack.

Aishi was still going strong but he was listing to the side somewhat. 'Probably in a mixture of exhaustion and pain.' She thought as she mentally calculated how long they had been fighting. With the five minute break between battles excluded, they had been fighting non-stop for a full day.

Reverting to childhood fear in her uncontrollable thoughts, Kagome shivered in the ever growing blackness of night. There was still a bit of pink on the horizon, but hope was fading with the light. And bad things always happened at night.

She closed her eyes to block out the traitorous thoughts. A flash of an image formed in her head. It was too quick for her to even recognize anything but color. Silver.

Her thoughts went to Sesshoumaru, his hair swirling around him as he became Death, itself. But that was wrong; the image cam again. Shape was allowed her this time. Thin and cord-like made up the consistency.

'A silver cord? No, a silver chain!' Her thoughts went instantly to the gift she had been given. The chain Nara had given her had transport capabilities, or so she had been told. But could this gift transport four people?

She didn't see why not, now she just had to get everyone back inside her...this wasn't her barrier.

'Ok, scratch that idea. I need to break this barrier, get them here, and erect another one. Do I have enough power to do that?' She hesitated for a moment. 'Yes, I have enough power, but will it destroy me?' She thought.

Looking up, she watched, horrified, as a sword finally connected with her lord.

Strands of silky hair drifted towards the ground as if in slow motion. Blood spread down his arm in thick rivulets. To cause the amount of blood flowing down his limb, it had to be a very deep cut.

Something cold wrapped around her chest and gripped her heart at the sight. Icy fingers cruelly tore through her, mercilessly seized her, and she almost wretched at the feeling.

But with that came power. Unknowingly, in her secondary lapse, she dissolved her cage. The instant she felt her freedom, two whips were flung outward, away from her. One wrapped around Sesshoumaru; the other found Aishi.

Why didn't they dodge her attack? She would probably never remember to ask, but she consoled herself to think that they recognized her power as that of an ally and made no move to thwart it.

Retracting them, she smiled at the image of two insanely powerful youkai flying helplessly towards her. 'Wait. Flying helplessly towards me?' She ducked her head behind her shoulder and arms and waited for a very painful collision, but it never came.

When she looked up, both were standing inches from her glaring intensely. They turned to head back into battle before the soldiers surrounding them realized the situation, but they were halted by a miko's shield.

Simultaneously, the two generals turned and again pierced her with a vicious glare, but she paid it no mind.

A bubble formed around Shouron, interrupting his fight with the last of the flying youkai, and dragged him back into the shield.

"Kagome, what is the meaning of this?" Sesshoumaru asked with his flat tone, but instinctively she knew that he was beyond mad.

"I just remembered that I can get us out of here. I have a transport..." She began but was not allowed to finish.

His smooth voice did not betray the ice she was receiving from his gaze. "You wish me to run?"

She was not sure how to answer. Kagome knew it was a strategic retreat until they could heal and regroup, but she also knew that he would never see it was anything but a coward's retreat.

Kagome turned to look at the generals. Shouron, though his lip was cut and bleeding, looked dismayed. At what? She wasn't sure.

Aishi, like his lord, betrayed nothing of his feelings at this instant, but a feeling told her his thoughts echoed those of Sesshoumaru. He was injured as well; she could now tell that the gash on his hip cut from the protruding bone down to midthigh.

She didn't answer his question; she opted to appeal to one of their more primal urges, that which seeks to escape pain.

Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru's arm. A sword had cleanly sliced through the muscle and took part of the bone away in its course. The arm appeared to be half connected, and she shivered at the thought.

"All of you need to heal. This battle can be resumed and won with no deaths if we do so now."

He looked at her a moment. All the earlier emotion now absent, but she no longer unnerved by his gaze. As if not wanting to tear his eyes from her, he closed them and turned towards the soldiers hacking at her shield.

"Let down your shield, Kagome." He commanded.

"No. Sesshoumaru, please, let me take us away from here."

He stood in silence, waiting for her to cave and follow his direction.

Finally, he unsheathed Toukijin and pointed it at her barrier. She knew what was coming.

Fear lanced through her, and she funneled that into the strength of her shield, praying to whoever would listen that it would hold.

Toukijin's attack was purified, but had no visible affect on the barrier's stability.

But now, between the soldiers desperately trying to break through from the outside, and the attack that just wrecked havoc on this side, Kagome was unsure how much longer she could hold it up.

"Sesshoumaru, we have to leave now! I can get us out of here, please."

"I will not surrender my lands to these vermin. I will not retreat." His tone was flat, but he spoke with conviction behind his words.

"You will die here. Please, let us take our leave."

"And give them the victory? Never."

"Sesshoumaru we will return, and I swear on everything holy that they will die by our hands, but not now. When we return, it will be on our time, in our favor."

Sesshoumaru growled and began pummeling Kagome's barrier in order to resume the fight.

She folded her hands in her lap and let her head sag. From her sitting position, she looked so small. Her voice lost its previous fervor. She sounded weak and timid when she spoke again. "Sesshoumaru...have I been a good companion?"

His attacks ceased, and he slowly turned to look at her. She read his questioning gaze and clarified.

"Do you trust me? Am I considered a friend in your eyes?" She asked with a tender, soft voice.

He hesitated. This wasn't a question he expected in the middle of a battlefield, and he didn't want to show any weakness towards her in front of others. But he would not lie to the one closest him.

"Yes." He answered, still not facing her.

"Then come with me. I can't bear to watch you die. Please." Kagome pleaded with tears streaming down her face.

"Your death is not necessary, Kagome." He said with a tight voice. For the first time in centuries he had a hard time suppressing the emotion that wanted to surface at her tears, at the thought of watching her die because of his choice. With a soft tone heard only by Kagome, he spoke. "Please, Kagome, don't stay for your death. Leave and live."

She looked up at him through crystal tears. "You really think I would leave you to die alone. No. I will fight by your side if I cannot convince you otherwise. But as your friend, will you grant me one last request?" Her voice trailed away into nothing with the final syllables.

Sesshoumaru turned to face her and gazed into the ocean's depths of her eyes. His face gentled slightly and nodded. "If it is within my power at this time."

Kagome gave him a heartbreaking smile and pushed herself off the ground. He watched her rise with a grace that should have been absent with her weariness. She never broke their gaze as she closed the distance between them.

As she was walking slowly towards him, Aishi and Shouron were surrounded by a halo of her white orbs. Before they had a chance to react, they were pulled by the spheres slowly towards their lord's back.

Sesshoumaru didn't even notice their approach as he was entranced by the emotion spilling into him from crystal blue eyes.

When Kagome was mere inches from Sesshoumaru, her eyes strayed from his only to fall on his lips.

"Forgive me, my lord." He heard her whisper as he felt her hand caress the side of his face.

Kagome rose onto her toes and pressed her lips to his. The painstakingly beautiful feeling that seared her was bittersweet. Something clenched in her chest as she fulfilled a longing. When? When did this longing bloom? Did it really matter at this point? No. The only thing that existed was him.

Another tear slid silently down her cheek as she silently informed Sesshoumaru and all watching of her unrequited love.

His eyes widened at her actions. Yes, he had never been able to predict her actions, but this was by far the most unexpected surprise.

Everything that Sesshoumaru had ever been, told him to push her away and sneer at the disgusting ningen that stood before him.

But this was Kagome, the girl he had become a friend to, the girl he had come to need, the girl he now wanted. He gave in to his desire to taste the flavor that existed within her mouth from its source.

The stiff, perfect posture wilted just slightly as his injured arm snaked around her waist, pulling her to him. The other went to cradle her neck gently as he angled face for better access.

Exhilaration coursed through her. She never expected him to participate; she never thought he could possibly feel anything for her aside from respect, possibly friendship, but now there was hope.

Sesshoumaru gently stroked down on her jaw with his thumb, encouraging her to part her plush lips. Kagome was hesitant; she was unsure of what to do, but she allowed him entrance.

His tongue swept into the cavern of her mouth, and he reveled in her taste. She was unique, sweet, spicy, with a tang that represented her power and personal flare all mixed into a culinary masterpiece that he knew he could never tire of. Sesshoumaru let his tongue rush in and savor her.

Kagome could feel the passion behind his actions and began to mimic his dance with own of her own.

She loved him. There was no denying it now. Any hint of doubt that nagged at her had vanished in their mingled passion, at his participation; she would not let him die.

'I will not lose him, not now that I just found him.' Kagome thought determined.

Her hand slipped down from his cheek and descended to his back; her other arm reached around him as well.

Without Sesshoumaru noticing her actions, she reached behind him and grabbed Aishi and Shouron. Aishi took in a breath to protest, but Shouron silenced him with a scathing glare.

They watched as a silver chain surfaced from beneath the skin of Kagome's wrists and disappear behind their lord. What they couldn't see was the chain beginning from her neck, draping down her arms to wrap around her wrists. One end of the chain released her wrist and shot out, through the barrier, and off into the distance.

All where immediately enveloped in a white bubble, and their surroundings began to move away from them as the scenery changed. The speed increased until all that surrounded them was a blur of colors.

The white disappeared, leaving them standing in the middle of a clearing with an abandoned well off to the side.

There were no more soldiers trying to kill them, no more bloodstains reminding them of their fallen enemies and comrades, and no more crumbling walls signaling the former safety of Sesshomaru's stronghold. There was none of that, only the nature surrounding them, an old dry well, and their lord passionately embracing a human female.

Kagome released her hold on them and returned her hands to Sesshoumaru's back.

Both Aishi and Shouron shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how to proceed from here. They were hesitant to leave their lord unguarded, but it was obvious that he didn't want company, excluding that of who he held in his arms.

Kagome needed air, but she was more than willing to suffocate in order to prolong his ministrations because she knew what was coming.

Sesshoumaru pulled back, and reluctantly, Kagome released her hold of him. But he did not let go. He stared down at her with the most intense gaze she had ever felt, as if he was inspecting her soul.

The abundance of green surrounding him alerted him as he came back to reality. There was no longer a shield around him, no longer soldiers to kill; nothing was there except a forest, Kagome, and his generals.

Betrayed. She had tricked him, and he had let her.

Growling, he instantly let go of her, and Kagome tumbled to the ground.

"You deceived me." His eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I saved your life." She countered.

"If that means being branded a coward, then I would have rather died." He glared menacingly.

"Now you may live to regain your lands and title. No one will call you that and live when we return." She promised.

"Foolish girl. You have no idea of what you speak." He accused.

"I know strategy, and that's what I'm using. But there's no victory in death." She hissed at him.

"There is no honor in retreat." He countered.

"You think those traitors would honor you in any way?" She practically yelled at him.

He spun away from her in his rage.

She tried to calm him down. "We'll rest up here. We can heal and re-stock any supplies we need then we can retake your lands."

Kagome got no response as he walked stiffly away from her. She looked over at the two generals.

They said nothing only gazed at her with unreadable expressions.

Her entire body sagged as if the weight of the world rested on her weary shoulders. Locking eyes with Shouron, she spoke. "There is a village just down that path, if you need anything speak to the miko named Keade and tell her you are friends of mine. There is a river nearby if you need to bathe."

Shouron smiled slightly and nodded but still said nothing.

She heaved a sigh and turned to walk away.

Shouron's voice drifted to her. "Where are you going?"

Kagome turned her head to look at him in her peripheral vision. "I'm going home. I'll be back in a day or two."

Both generals thought she had gone mad as she walked up to the old dry well. She no longer cared about keeping the entrance to her world a secret. She highly doubted anyone except she and Inuyasha could cross the threshold anyway. 'Well, there was Mistress Centipede. Oh well, too late now.' She thought as she dropped over the edge.

Shouron rushed to the side of the well and reached for her arm, but he missed. He looked down and saw Kagome's silhouette engulfed in an indigo light that reeked of powerful magic.

Then she was gone. Incredulous eyes swung to Aishi who was busy trying to sort through the foreign thoughts and images he had just seen in that girl's mind.

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TA DAA! The long awaited Kiss. Hope you guys enjoyed it, cuz it was a bitch to write. I still am not too satisfied, but it'll work for now.

Oh, and I've had a lot of anonymous reviewers ask me when I update. If an address was left, I would have answered personally BUT since I was left without one...I'll remind you here. I update weekly, so look me up around Saturdays, Sunday at the latest. (Yes, sorry I'm later than usual, but this chapter, it was so incredibly hard to keep everyone in character. I hope I succeeded.)


	26. Controlling Thoughts

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Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 25 Controlling Thoughts

Inuyasha sat in the boughs of the Goshinboku. The sun had just dipped below the horizon, and it was time to turn in for the night. He glanced down at the figure that sat at the base of the tree.

Kikyou watched as the last traces of the sun vanished into the night. There was no longer any trace of the light purple; all was now the deep blue of the stars' restraint.

He and Kikyou had grown very close in the few weeks that Kagome had been gone, but he still missed his best friend. Yes, that was the difference between the girls. Though, they could pass for sisters in appearance, their personalities were nothing alike.

Kikyou was calm, reserved; she was refined but perfectly capable of being forceful when the need arose. Kikyou was the perfect shrine maiden, the ideal priestess, groomed for life in the Sengoku Jidai.

Kagome was vivacious, unpredictable; she was, no doubt, the product of her strange home, an easy life without danger. She had gained his respect in how well she adapted from that life to this one fraught with threats.

Kikyou was never meant to love someone, not with her role as the protector of the Shikon no Tama, but she disobeyed. It was probably the one time in her life that she didn't follow her commands; she had let a hanyou live after his attempt to gain the jewel, and in his continuous watch over her prized possession, they grew to respect one another for their similarities. The commonality that brought them together was the life on the outside, watching but never being able to participate.

Kikyou could never be a friend because she didn't know how; she was raised isolated from all except those who trained her. Now that her life was restored, she was trying to learn those skills, but he saw how she struggled.

Kagome was so loving and kind; she would sacrifice her own love to allow his. She knew how to be a friend, and she was one unfailingly. He missed his friend.

Yes, Sango and Miroku could be considered his friends, even Shippou, but Kagome was his first friend. She would always be his closest, even if he couldn't really confide in her, but that wasn't her fault. It was his inability to talk to her. He knew that, but whether he would admit it aloud or not was questionable.

Inuyasha sat up and jumped to the ground before Kikyou. She looked up and gave him a soft smile.

They walked towards the village together in silence until Inuyasha jerked to a stop. Kikyou stiffened as she felt the strong presence of demons, but Inuyasha broke into a grin.

"Kagome's back." He said softly and turned to face Kikyou.

Inuyasha crouched to let Kikyou hop onto his back. She didn't think she would ever get used to letting him carry her, but she knew how anxious he was to know that Kagome was safe and unhurt.

Inuyasha and Kikyou had trained together without fail until he had been able to go quite a large distance from her without losing control of his nature, but risking that loss was not something either of them wanted to deal with currently.

Kikyou silently ascended his back and they bounded off through the forest.

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Aishi held his silence while Shouron paced across the clearing. The firecat sat against a tree allowing the wound on his leg to heal as he contemplated the images Kagome had set in her mind before she left.

He never really saw images; it was usually just a mental conversation that drifted through his mind. 'She must have been so tired that she no longer thought in phrases, only sights.' It was the only plausible answer he could think of that would explain it.

Images of a older woman with short dark hair and a bright smile, an old man with priest garbs and gray hair, and a young boy that resembled the girl were prevalent. 'That must be her family.'

But there was also a young demon child that reigned in her thoughts. He had unruly red hair with a matching tail. Her whole outlook was depressed when she thought of him. 'Why? Why is she sad when she thinks of him?'

Aishi concentrated on the people in her thoughts because when other images flashed through her head...they were just confusing. For instance, how could she cause hot water to flow from inside the wall of her home, and why would her futon by elevated from the floor? There were other images, too but he couldn't even trace what they were.

He was beyond frustrated that he was spending so much time trying to figure out this girl, but his thoughts wanted to explore the unknown. There was nothing he knew about her.

A first assumption would be that she is human and no threat to him. That was proven wrong very quickly. She was powerful, more so than he ever thought a human capable. Then again, for a human, her scent was wrong. She still bled as a human, and there were advanced senses other than those a miko would have, but she didn't have the residual smell of death about her. 'No, nothing is certain about her not even her home.'

Her home. 'Who would hide their village down a well?' It was obviously protected by magic because she had been allowed, but when Shouron tried it seconds later, he landed on firm ground as if it was a perfectly normal dry well. She was a mystery indeed.

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He felt like he needed to kill something. He wanted blood dripping from his claws, but that would not do. Sesshoumaru was the epitome of self control and giving in to the urge to rend flesh was not something he would do now.

He had already let his control slip once, and that was why he was in this situation in the first place. Sesshoumaru gave in to the urge to let go his everything, his pride, his title, his status, and now those things were gone. 'Temporarily.'

But it was nice while it lasted. Her lips were petal soft and... 'Now is not the time.' He squashed the memories.

'She betrayed me.'

His thoughts were rebounding around his mind. No semblance of order remained for him to begin to sort through them, and he hated it. For the first time since his youth, he felt utterly confused.

'What is this woman doing to me?' She made him feel warmth and friendship; she made him feel helpless, and now, she made him feel lost and confused in his own thoughts where only he should reign.

The undisputable point was: she made him feel. When she was around, it was hard to be the unfeeling bastard he had prided himself to become.

It was freeing in a way when it was just the two of them, but when others were around he didn't like the feelings she invoked.

Everything was contradictory. He liked what her, but he didn't. He enjoyed the feelings some times, but he didn't at others. He wanted his title and the respect that came with it, but he hated the dependency others had on him as lord, hated the competition between the various lords.

That was another problem. What would the other lords think of his losing his lands? Would he be hunted down by his competitors? 'Impossible. Those weaklings could not harm me. But I do need to find out what is being told to the other lords, and I would like to know what Rokoshi is doing at this point.'

Sesshoumaru flexed his claws. 'He will pay for his crimes against me, and before I am done with him, he will beg for his death.'

Blood flowed from his injured arm with the movement. He looked over the injury. The gash was deep, completely severing the outside muscle, and he could see the bone mending itself from where it, too, had been assaulted.

But it was of no consequence; within two days, the wound would completely vanish. For now, he needed to speak with Aishi and Shouron. Preparations needed to be made.

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Kagome didn't realize how exhausted she was until climbed the ladder out of the well. Leaning against the wall for support, she stopped to catch her breath a bit. She pulled back the door to the well house and stared, despairingly, at the many shrine steps.

'How in the world am I going to get home?' She thought, depression sunk in. 'I can't. I'm barely standing as it is. Maybe I should just stay here for the night.'

There wasn't much else she could do. She was breathing too hard from her climb up the ladder to yell for help, and it was chancy that her family was even awake to hear her calls. Even if they did find her, she doubted they could carry her up those steps.

Kagome was about to collapse. Her dreams of spending the night in her own bed vanished as she leaned back against the wall of the well house.

"Mama, grandpa, Souta, I'm home." She whispered as she gave into the exhaustion creeping up on her.

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Inuyasha reached the well's clearing only to find two unknown demons.

"Who the hell are you?" He called as Kikyou slid off his back.

Both generals looked up at him upon his entrance.

Shouron was about to speak, but Aishi interrupted. "You are the one to come barging in, who are you?" He stated in rudely condescending manner.

Inuyasha looked at the general who still remained seated. It was an insult; it told the former hanyou that he saw him as no threat, and it served to piss him off.

"Feh! I don't have time for you. I gotta find Kagome?"

With her name, both generals snapped to attention, but this time Shouron beat Aishi to words. "What do you know of Kagome?"

Inuyasha, who had began to make his way to the well, turned towards Shouron. "What's it to you? Come on Kikyou, we need to see if she's alright. There's no telling what Sesshoumaru might have done to her."

Shouron smirked. 'Or what she did to him.' He stopped Inuyasha once again. "I see the resemblance now. You are Lord Sesshoumaru's half-brother."

"I got a name, you know. Feh! You are wasting my time." With that, Inuyasha picked up Kikyou and jumped into the well, praying that it would allow both to pass.

Inuyasha had always suspected that it was the rosary which allowed him entrance into Kagome's world. Why else would he be able to cross when Shippou, Miroku, and Sango could not? Following that thought, since the new rosary combined Kikyou and Kagome's power to subdue the stronger Inuyasha, the well should admit her as well.

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Sesshoumaru had to contain the growl that wanted to escape his throat when he scented Inuyasha near. He hoped it was just a residual smell since this was the forest he dwelled near, but the scent became stronger as he made his way to the well where his generals remained. 

'Wonderful. That is all I need now, another test of my control.' He thought as his mood darkened.

When he reached the clearing that was home to Kagome's well, Inuyasha was nowhere to be found. 'Maybe my generals disposed of him.' He couldn't help the smirk that crossed his face with the happy thought, but there was no trace of blood except Aishi's healing injury.

His half-brother's scent disappeared down the well. Conflicting thoughts again plagued him. He was, for some reason, unhappy that he would go to her now when she is, undoubtedly, upset. It frustrated him that Inuyasha could pass into her village and he could not. But with Inuyasha preoccupied with Kagome, Sesshoumaru was free from the burden of dealing with him for now.

When he came back, would Kagome come with him? Did he want her to? How would he react to her after what happened; how would she treat him?

Too many questions, no answers. Now he was questioning himself. He was beyond annoyed at this point.

He flushed his mind of those riddles and approached his generals. There were things he needed to get done.

"Aishi, Shouron, there are matters to discuss." He said as he stepped into the clearing.

Aishi rose from his seat and followed Shouron to Sesshoumaru who was standing at the far side of the clearing.

'Farthest from the well.' Shouron noted as he hid the smirk from his thoughts.

Sesshoumaru's eyes flicked down to Aishi's wound. 'It will hinder him.'

"How long do you need before you completely heal, Aishi?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"One day." He responded.

"When you are healed, I have need of your...capabilities." Sesshoumaru continued carefully not knowing if Shouron knew of Aishi's ability to read thoughts.

"Yes, my lord. What is it you wish?" Aishi said with his head slightly bowed.

"Information. We are currently in Inuyasha's Forest; travel north until you reach...the western lands." Sesshoumaru wasn't sure how to address his former lands. In all rights, they were still his because he was still alive, but did Rokoshi know that?

Sesshoumaru continued. "I want to know what is being said to the other lords of our current situation. Does Rokoshi know we still live, or does he think he died in his trap? Find out as much as you can with out getting too close."

"What of me, my lord?" Shouron spoke up.

Sesshoumaru turned to Shouron. "If Rokoshi knows we still live, he will be looking for us. It would be best if we make as little noise as possible; therefore, the wisest thing would be for us to stay where we are." He hated the thought of staying so close to his brother, but he also didn't want to leave Kagome.

He didn't want to face her right now, but he knew that she could very well be dying from her last burst of power. 'There's nothing I can do about it, though. I cannot travel to her village, the barrier is not one I know how to break.' He admitted mentally.

"What about Kagome?" Shouron added.

Sesshoumaru glared at him. "There is no way to reach her until she comes back. If we are still here when she returns, what she does is her decision." He answered stiffly and both generals knew the conversation was over.

The three retired to their own corners of the clearing to rest. It had been a very long day, and all were exhausted, though, none would admit it aloud.

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Inuyasha and Kikyou landed on soft earth under a roof, and he knew it had worked. Not wasting time to rejoice, Inuyasha carried Kikyou out of the well.

He was about to tear out of the well house when he smelled Kagome nearby. The sliding door was open and he glanced outside. He didn't see her.

Kikyou gasped and tried to get free of his arms; he followed her gaze and found Kagome leaning against the wall, unconscious.

Inuyasha let Kikyou down, and both rushed to her side.

"Is she...?" Kikyou asked quietly. She couldn't see Kagome's aura because of its weakness, but she didn't want to admit she was dead.

"No, she's still breathing, but its very faint." He said solemnly.

He gently picked up Kagome and carried her up to the house. Kikyou followed at a slower pace, observing the strange surroundings of Kagome's habitat.

Inuyasha pounded on the front door, and after a few moments, Kagome's mother answered in her robe.

"Dear me, what happened? Is Kagome alright? Come inside quickly!" She ushered them in and led them up to Kagome's room.

"She is really weak. I don't know what happened. We just found her this way." Inuyasha admitted quietly.

Kagome's mother kicked Inuyasha out of the room while she and Kikyou tenderly changed her clothes. A mother's tears slipped down her cheeks as she tucked her little girl under the covers.

Kikyou put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure she will be fine. Kagome is very strong, and she will find a way to pull through."

"Thank you, but I want to know what is wrong. Why is she like this? Is she sick? Was she hurt? We didn't see any injuries when we were changing her, so what happened to her?" She asked as the pace of her tears sped up.

Kikyou rubbed her back in a consoling manner for a few moments before stepping outside Kagome's room to give her solitude.

Inuyasha was leaning against the wall with a scowl on his face.

"Inuyasha?" Kikyou prompted.

"What did that bastard do to her?" He whispered angrily. He looked up when he felt two arms wrapping themselves around his shoulders.

"All will be will. Have faith." She whispered back.

He was silent for a moment. "No. We're going to find out what happened. Let's go." He grabbed her hand and pulled her through the house.

When they reached the outside, it was all a blur to Kikyou until she found herself back in the past with four demonic auras around her.

She recognized them all, but it still unnerved her to be surrounded by so many potential enemies. Even Inuyasha could be considered an enemy if he didn't stay within a range of her.

"SESSHOUMARU!" Inuyasha's bellowed across the land.

Across the clearing, Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. "I am not deaf." He stated calmly from his resting place against a tree.

Inuyasha appeared before him glaring for all he was worth. "What did you do to her, you bastard?"

Sesshoumaru stared at him for a moment. "I did nothing. She overused her power; possibly destroying herself. I warned her not to, but she did not listen." He responded. It took all the control he could muster to keep the concern from his voice, but he'd be damned if Inuyasha found out he cared about the girl.

Inuyasha growled at him, not sure how to respond.

"Go back to her." Sesshoumaru started. "She must rest and recover. If she dies, bring her body here. Tenseiga will revive her. Until that time, there is nothing we can do." He spoke as a mentor would to his pupil then closed his eyes.

Inuyasha was more than angry. Sesshoumaru wasn't responsible for Kagome's condition, so he couldn't release his frustration on him. Well, he could but that would keep him from making sure Kagome is still breathing, and now Sesshoumaru casually dismissed him in such a condescending manner.

'Cocky bastard.' Inuyasha thought before releasing a fierce growl and running full speed back towards the well. Kikyou just sighed as the scenery around her blurred once again with Inuyasha's pace.

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A/N: Hi guys. I hope you liked this story...yes, kinda boring, but hey, if it was solid battles, there wouldn't be much of a plot now, huh? Sorry you guys, but if you reviewed the last chapter...it might take me a day or so to sit down and respond to them. We've been having some wicked weather down here, and my electricity has been on the fritz. I'll try to get those out pretty quick, promise!


	27. Startling Discovery

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 26 Startling Discovery

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Aishi sprinted through forests and meadows, over hills and plains until he reached the border of the Western Lands.

It was a three day journey, but at his pace he made it in two. It was still an hour's journey to Sesshoumaru's former ancestral home.

Five days had elapsed since he and his comrades were pulled from the immense battle. His feelings were still mixed on the situation. He didn't want to die, and he knew he would have met his death that night.

But he was ready and willing to die fighting alongside his lord.

Aishi shuddered. He was a firecat, a warrior race among the youkai species. There were few left, and fewer still could match his strength. He wouldn't have fallen quickly, but with that many enemies, it was a great probability that he would have fallen eventually.

Many stories surrounded the firecat line. Some said they were indestructible, that they couldn't be killed. The remaining few could attest the falsity of that statement, but it was true that firecats were extremely hard to kill.

There were many myths about how to kill a firecat. Most were wrong, but there were a few that were, if not completely true, close enough to count.

The girl had saved them from death only to deliver them into a coward's reward, humiliation. His lord would never recover from the fact that he had retreated, and if word got out that a woman had tricked or deceived him into that fate, all the worse for him.

Aishi hated his treacherous thoughts. He should have hated her for the act of treason, but his mind silently thanked her for his continued life.

How would he act towards her now? She was powerful and had saved his life twice, but she also cast shame upon his line.

He didn't have to worry about that, yet. She hadn't awoken when he departed on his mission, and he wasn't sure she would be awake when he came back.

Thoughts spun around his mind, circling points but never making them clear enough for him to have a solid stand on any of them. But then a thought broke through above the rest.

'So tired. I can't afford to waste time resting, but I cannot show weakness to Lord Sesshoumaru. He would only look down upon Lord Dachi.'

Aishi stopped dead in his tracks. That was not one of his thoughts. 'Someone is close, and that someone does not know of my lord's misfortune. They must be a scout of Lord Dachi, but why would a scout from the lord of the Eastern Lands have such urgent business with Lord Sesshoumaru?'

He knew the scout was infinitely tired; their aura was faint, and their thoughts were erratic and hard to follow. He decided it would be best if the scout didn't know of his lord's recent downfall and turned to intercept the other youkai.

He approached slowly, until he saw her. She leaned against a tree for support, catching her breath for a short period of time. Aishi took a moment to observe her.

Red hair was pulled back into a bun that was now loose with flames of red falling messy around her face. Her clothing was obviously high quality, something belonging to wealth or a high rank of her lord, but it was dirty and torn in places. She had obviously been traveling for sometime or a great distance.

Aishi stepped into her view, and she tensed. She knew she was no match for him in her weary condition, so she didn't even bother to straighten herself to appear intimidating.

"What do you want?" She asked trying to feign indifference, but the desperate exhaustion slipped through to deny her attempt.

Aishi looked her over. "Simple. I want to know your business with Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Her face showed her curiosity. "How did you know..."

"You are in his lands are you not?" Aishi said without emotion.

"If they are still his lands" The woman retorted.

Aishi's eyes flickered red, and soon the scout was pinned by her neck to the tree she was resting against.

"You will answer my question, or I will not be kind enough to grant you a painless death." The threat was valid, and both knew it.

She struggled to breath. "I am a scout of Dachi, Lord of the Eastern Lands. My business is with Lord Sesshoumaru, and I will die before giving my message to any but him."

Aishi released his grip slightly. "Explain your earlier comment about his lands." He commanded force still in his voice.

"Lord Dachi and Lord Sesshoumaru are not allies, this in not my first stop. I went south first. There was a battle and the former lord's head is now a decoration piece for the traitors now in power. I'm beginning to see a pattern, and if I am correct, Lord Sesshoumaru was attacked five day ago." She stated with certainty that had previously been absent in her statements.

"And you assume he fell to others." Aishi said heatedly, offended that this female thought his lord could be defeated so easily.

"I did not assume anything. I was about to see with my own eyes until you interrupted. Now are you going to take me to Lord Sesshoumaru or are you going to kill me for knowing about you and your conspirators in the Eastern and Southern Lands?" The scout retorted with no trace of fear in her voice.

Aishi growled at her accusation, but he knew the information she had was urgent and valuable.

He looked at the setting sun. "Rest, get some sleep. We'll leave in a few hours. If you want to meet with Lord Sesshoumaru, you are going in the wrong direction."

"What do you mean? These are his lands; his fortress is just beyond the horizon. What are you trying to pull?" Suspicion was clearly present in her voice.

"My lord is not currently at his fortress. If you would like speak with him, I will take you to him, but I suggest you rest. It is a three day journey back to him, and we will make it in two." With that, Aishi walked into the trees surrounding them.

"Wait! Where are you going?" She cried with a bit of despondency.

"I will bring back food for when you awaken. Haste is needed."

Aishi was greatly disturbed by her words. '_You and your conspirators in the Eastern and Southern Lands _were her exact words. So the Eastern Lands had been subject to invasion also.'

He doubted if he could get anymore information out of her. If she was a high ranking spy, then she had already told him far more than she should have. Her exhaustion must have loosened her tongue.

Something big had happened and all of the major lands were involved. True nothing had proven the Northern Land's role, but if they hadn't been attacked, then the ruler was probably behind it.

With a burst of speed and the precision of his claws, a deer fell to the ground. Hefting the carcass over his shoulder with the blood dripping freely to the ground without soiling his attire, he made his way to a nearby river.

These were his lord's lands, and he knew them without question. He prepared the meat and headed back to where the female lay sleeping.

He sneered in disgust at her sleeping form. She could be considered beautiful by some, but to him, she was weak. This youkai had not even attempted to defend herself from death.

She would have bowed her head and let her blood paint his claws; submissive, weak, she was a disgrace to her species.

He rested as well to recover his full strength which was sapped in the two day sprint.

Hours passed as he slipped away until the sparse sunlight of dawn caused his eyes to snap open and look around wildly.

He heard a feminine laugh. "You really should calm down."

The red head sat in front of the fire cooking the meat he had preserved. He glared at her. "I wanted to leave several hours ago." He informed her.

"Then you should have told me, and I would have waked you up. Here, this is ready." She tossed him some of the cooked meat and kept the rest for herself. "Eat quickly and we'll leave shortly."

"Who are you to tell me what to you, woman?" He glared viciously at her. She laughed in return.

"I am Mokuso, and it appears I am the only one coherent in the mornings. Did you not just tell me that you wanted to leave a while ago? So we will leave as soon as we replenish ourselves, that is, if you will stop complaining long enough to cooperate." She said with a calm voice, but there was a razor edge that underlied her dare to argue with her.

He growled at her. She was so different now. What happened to the weak excuse for a youkai that was leaning against the tree yesterday? She had vanished; now there was Mokuso who challenged his very being. But he would not be treated as such.

"Laugh while you can, girl. When you are complaining for a break, I will be the one amused." He said with contempt in his voice.

"As you wish." She replied calmly. "I am ready to leave when you are...I still do not know what to call you, which is rather rude. Do you not think so?"

"General Aishi." He said as he rose to his feet.

"Lord Sesshoumaru's first general? I am impressed. Maybe this will be challenging." She said more to herself than aloud, but he heard it.

"I assure you; I am more than a challenge to a weakling such as yourself."

"Weakling? Ah, I see, last night." A gentle smile crossed her lips. "You try to fight someone after you've sprinted for five days straight. I told you, I've come from the Eastern Lands with a stop in the Southern Lands. I had very little left when you found me. I guarantee that I am more of a match than you had last night, but there is no time for that now. We must get to Sesshoumaru."

Aishi nodded, and he began running at a high speed through the trees surrounding them. He looked back at the girl to see her keeping up with no problems, so he sped up.

She still remained close behind him. 'Maybe this trip won't be as slow as I thought last night.' He thought with some satisfaction.

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Sensation returned first. A fuzzy feeling overwhelmed everything; the unbalanced feeling of having cotton stuffed in your ears kept her from moving.

Vaguely she felt the soft mattress under her; burning sunlight made her eyes see orange under the thin layer of protective skin.

Kagome turned her head to retreat from the invading light only to feel the pain of stabbing knives shoot through her neck and shoulders.

An involuntary groan escaped the confines of her throat.

A soft familiar voice reached her. "You have awakened. I will retrieve your mother."

"Wait." Her voice wasn't there, but the croak that escaped seemed to stop the person beside her.

Kagome turned her head toward where the voice had come from and tried to lift her lids. It didn't work so well. Eyes were exposed halfway before the muscles clamped the skin back down to its former position.

Even her eyelids burned with the sensation of pain. Finally, she managed to open them, and before her, Kikyou stood patiently. She reached over for something, and a glass of water appeared before Kagome's line of sight.

She tried to lift her arms, but that was another failure. A groan tore from her again, this time of frustration.

"You really outdid yourself, didn't you?" Kikyou said with a slight reprimand. "Here."

Kikyou set the glass down on the nightstand and reached around Kagome to help her sit up in bed.

Every time anything moved, Kagome felt stabbing pains, but her thirst squelched every other desire.

When she had accomplished her sitting goal, a glass of water was held to her lips, and she gulped the water down fiercely.

"Slow down, you might have an adverse affect." Kagome was reprimanded again.

She wasn't sure what 'adverse affect' might happen, but she realized quickly as her stomach jumped and cramped from the liquid.

Kagome winced and slowed down. It had obviously been quite a while since she had passed out if her stomach was so empty that water offended it.

"Thank you." She managed to say. It actually sounded like a word, and, as small as the accomplishment was, Kagome was proud of it.

"I will go get you mother and some broth. You need to eat something." Kagome watched her walk out of the room. Then it hit her.

'How is she here? I'm in the future.'

As if in answer, Inuyasha stepped into her room. "Lazy human. It took you long enough to wake up." His words were harsh, but Kagome could see how worried he was about her.

She smiled faintly; even her cheeks were burning with pain, but he didn't have to know that. "It is nice to see you, too, Inuyasha." Her voice was still weak and raspy, but it was rational.

"Feh!" He said in response, but his voice lost its edge. "What happened to you? And why do you have three demons waiting for you on the other side of the well?" He had been waiting for so long for the answers to his questions.

Trying to get Sesshoumaru to tell you something was like talking to a rock. A rock with sharp claws and homicidal tendencies.

His questions sparked questions in Kagome. 'They are waiting for me?' Joy spread and warmed her. 'Maybe Sesshoumaru doesn't hate me after all.' But the joy soon faded. 'Or maybe he's waiting for me to come back so he can kill me for his humiliation.'

"Kagome?" Inuyasha prompted.

"I'll explain everything, but can I eat and shower first? I'm really hungry, and I probably smell really bad."

He nodded and left her as her mother walked into the room. "How are you feeling, dear?"

"I think death would feel better because then I wouldn't feel anything." She managed weakly.

"Here, drink this and maybe you'll start to feel better. I'll draw you a hot bath." Her mother said while setting a tray across her lap. She ran her hands over her daughter's head and shoulders comfortingly. "Just call me if you need anything."

"Thanks, mom."

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Sesshoumaru was restless. There were too many unknowns and he was slowly driving himself crazy with unanswerable questions.

'Was Kagome alive? Are the traitors looking for him? Do they know of his other fortress hidden away? Is they did, was Rin alright? What lie on the other side of the well which resided merely yards from him? What has Aishi discovered?

He hadn't even bothered to wonder about Inuyasha's sudden change in strength. That question was answered fairly easily, but with such a selfish wish, were was the jewel?

It didn't matter what he thought of, questions seemed to ambush him. Too many subjects, too little knowledge.

"My lord?" Shouron had been watching for some time, and he was more than worried about his commander.

Sesshoumaru acknowledged the general with a look.

"You need to eat, my lord. It was been several days, and we need to keep up our strength." Shouron knew he could die as punishment for telling his lord what to do, but it was risk that or watch Sesshoumaru wither away.

Sesshoumaru was unsettled. When had he let things get so out of hand that his generals had to act as a mother towards him? His eyes narrowed. This had to stop. He was driving himself mad.

"I will eat when it suits me. For now, I am going to take a walk. If anything arises, summon me." He walked towards the forest.

Shouron could only hope that he would hunt something for food. His strength would be waning by now from lack of consumption.

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Shippo sat in Kaede's hut crying his eyes out. He knew that Kagome had returned, but she had not stopped to even inform him of that before she ran home.

It was like she didn't want to see him. 'Is she mad at me? What did I do? Does she not love me anymore?'

And on top of everything, Inuyasha had come back ranting and raving about Sesshoumaru and two other demons waiting for Kagome beside the well. When Shippo had worked up the courage to ask about Kagome, Inuyasha's face fell for a moment.

Kikyou had told everyone that they had found her unconscious inside the well house.

Shippo had not seen hide nor hair of either Inuyasha or Kikyou since then. Was Kagome alright? Was she going to die? Would he ever see her again?

Tears came faster now. With eyes blurry from the saline solution, he ran out of the hut as fast as he could.

He came to the clearing where the Bone Eater's Well stood. He had not come here yet. Shippo didn't want to confront the lethal Sesshoumaru if he could avoid it.

But he no longer cared. He wanted to know what was going on, and he wanted to know now.

Sesshoumaru was gone, but there was another present. Sunshine yellow hair attracted his eyes until bright blue eyes froze him to the spot. 'Kagome.' He thought forlornly when he noticed how similar her eyes were to this newcomer.

A deep voice broke through and stopped the new tears from falling. "Can I help you?" Shouron spoke to the tiny kitsune.

"Kagome," was the only thing Shippo could squeeze through his clenched throat.

Blue eyes widened a bit. "She is not well, little one, but she will be fine. Kagome is strong."

"But I miss her." He whispered in response.

"I'm sure she will be back shortly. She just needs to recover." The general informed him.

"Recover?" Shippo's wide bleary eyes pleaded with the youkai in front of him.

"Yes, recover. Would you like to know what happened?" Shouron offered. He didn't know what else to do to help the kit. As a general, he knew little about children and less about how to comfort them.

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Aishi was surprised at the speed at which the female behind him could maintain.

She had not complained once, and they had been running for a solid day. She was fast; he wasn't sure if he wanted to know the true limit of her speed because she seemed to be skipping along beside him.

Trees blurred and branches became lethal at this speed, but she appeared immune to everything that would have unnerved anyone else.

Aishi was known for his strength and speed, but this girl matching his pace with ease.

It was true that he could go faster; he was only at seventy-five percent now, but he needed a prolonged journey not short battle jaunts.

Night had fallen around them, and she still showed no signs of slowing down. He expected some form of complaint, but they had not spoken to each other since they began their run.

Aishi had been running faster than before because he had someone to push him, to keep him at a fast pace. Sometimes he unconsciously slowed until he noticed and sped up again.

But with this other trailing him, his pace was steady. At this rate, they should reach his lord by morning if they traveled straight through the night without a break.

A three day journey in one, impressive indeed. He was anxious to see what Lord Dachi wanted of Sesshoumaru.

Was he even still alive? Had he survived the attack, or did Mokuso carry her lord's final wishes to Lord Sesshoumaru?

He would find out soon enough, but this could work out better than expected. If all the other lords had been overthrown or killed, Sesshoumaru's retreat would be small news in exchange for three new rulers.

And with rulers who were new to the role, capturing their lands would be a simple task as soon as Sesshoumaru gathered his loyal soldiers from throughout his lands.

Aishi smirked at the possibilities. 'Lord Sesshoumaru, ruler throughout Japan.'

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Another chapter. Yes, still a bit boring, but we have a little conspiracy on our hands now. I hope you liked it. Until next week! I really hate to complain about this you guys, but please understand that I update as often as I can. Its fine when you say "please update soon," and what not, but some of you are just rude and demanding. That really isn't necessary. I am taking very difficult classes this semester, and weekly is really hard as it is. Please don't demand more than I can give. I'm already stressed as it is, and writing is a way to relieve that stress for me. If it becomes another stressor, do you really think I'll update as often as I have? See ya'll next week.

Syrinx


	28. Encountering Assassins

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 27 Encountering Asssassins.

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He growled out his frustration and flung an empty vase against the wall. It didn't matter; it wasn't his anyway. "For now." He mentally grumbled.

Rokoshi prowled the room like a caged lion. It hadn't gone off like it was supposed to, "So close. Sesshoumaru was as good as dead then he vanished. What the hell happened?"

He had been watching from afar while the battle raged around the desperate fighters. They were tired, wounded, and about to fall.

Orange eyes glittered as he remembered the illustrious Western Lord on the brink of defeat, but then things went wrong.

Rokoshi was not even sure what happened; one moment the generals were spread out fighting individually, the next there was a foreign power sustaining a shield in the middle of the field. The generals had disappeared.

He watched as the soldiers pounded on the shield. Obviously, they could see through it at their proximity. Then the shield was gone and his enemies with it. Simple as that.

Upon speaking to the frontline soldiers, confusion was still evident. They said they could see the lord, two generals, and a human girl inside the barrier. There was an argument between Sesshoumaru and the girl...that's were things get fuzzy.

The shield became solid, opaque, at that time. Minutes passed, and no one knew what was happening then the barrier vanished, wrenching his prey from his grasp.

Until Sesshoumaru was dead, Rokoshi wasn't the rightful lord. He had planted rumors and "evidence" of his death, but that wouldn't satisfy his troops for long. His most loyal and deadliest fighters had been sent throughout the lands to assassinate any of the former generals and the unfortunate lord.

Those few were the only ones that knew without a doubt of his survival.

There were more problems aside from Sesshoumaru alive. He had to meet with his superior in a few days.

'Old Deathbreath is not going to be happy when he finds out Sesshoumaru survived, and half of the soldiers he gave me are dead.' He shuddered at the possible punishments he would receive if the taiyoukai hadn't been disposed of by that time.

Rokoshi wasn't ignorant; he knew that his master feared the stoic inu.

But all he could do at this point was plant more "proof" of Sesshoumaru's death and wait for the reports of his assassins.

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The questions that haunted Sesshoumaru finally pushed him to make a decision. The ever-under-control lord resolved to only ask questions that could be answered or could better his current position.

So his questions took a more directed approach instead of the random pattern that had been plaguing him in his recovery.

'First and foremost, my lands. Rokoshi. What does he want? It is obvious, to rule, but what was Samon's role? Rokoshi would probably dispose of him after he was established as lord, but what did he offer Samon to get his alliance against me? Samon...wouldn't want to rule. He is too insecure of his own individual power, coward.' Sesshoumaru sneered. 'He would want the wealth and power of ownership but not the responsibility.'

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened upon realization. 'My other fortress. They must know of it. If anyone could find the information on its location, it would be one of my generals. That was Samon's incentive...Rin.'

She was in danger if Rokoshi knew she was there, but did he? Sesshoumaru wouldn't take any chances. He needed to go. She was his responsibility; Rin depended on him for protection, and he'd be damned if he let Rokoshi touch her.

'But what of Kagome? That damn hany...' But Sesshoumaru caught himself. '... whelp has not come back to tell me whether she has come back to consciousness. If she dies while I'm gone...it does not matter. Rin comes first; she is and always will be loyal to me.'

His plan had been to disappear for a short time period and then go back to reclaim his property, but he needed to get to Rin as quick as possible.

In a surge of power, surrounded by clouds, a beautiful but terrible white dog stood where Sesshoumaru had previously. The canine was at least three stories tall.

With a great leap, Sesshoumaru was running among the clouds to reach his charge.

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Shippo sniffed. "But she'll be alright, won't she?"

Shouron gave him a comforting smile. "I'm sure she'll be fine, little one. We just need to wait and..." But he trailed off.

He felt a surge of his lord's power and immediately ran to the site the surge originated from. Shouron saw the hindquarters of a great dog leaping through the air towards the west. 'Great. Now where is he off to at this time?'

Shouron had been worried that someone was attacking, and that was the cause of his power surge. Seeing the beast form of Sesshoumaru bounding through the sky reassured him, though.

But now he was left alone with no clue as to what to do until either Aishi, Sesshoumaru, or Kagome returned. He sighed heavily.

Just then a red blur ran through the trees behind him. "Where did you go, Shouron?" Shippo spoke as he saw him.

Shouron turned to address him. "I thought Sesshoumaru might be in trouble. I went to make sure he was safe; he might not need me, but he is still my lord. It is my life before his, always. Forgive me for leaving so abruptly."

Shippo's face brightened when he realized Shouron hadn't left because he was annoyed at him. "Forgiven." The kitsune said immediately. "Do you want to see a trick?" He said cheerfully.

The general smiled and nodded.

With a tiny cloud of dust and a POP, Shippo disappeared.

Shouron's eyes widened a bit at the disappearance, but then he noticed the smell of the child still remaining in the area. He looked around and focused.

"That is impressive, Shippo." He said as he saw through the kit's illusion. "You are strong for your age."

With another POP, Shippo reappeared, chest puffed out with pride. "That's not all I can do! Just watch!"

A little blue flame floated in his hands before he yelled, "Foxfire!" and threw it as a nearby tree.

Shouron laughed mischievously, and took control of the little flame before it struck its mark.

Shippo's mouth dropped open when the little flame stopped its progress, hovered for a second, then started looping around his head.

With a squeal, Shippo ducked the flame that was darting around him like an insect. Without another sign, the flame floated over to Shouron, who made the flame flicker and dance.

Green eyes widened with realization, and Shippo crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. "That's not fair. You cheated."

Shouron laughed good-naturedly. "Forgive me; I couldn't resist."

Shippo quickly changed gears from pouting back to hyper, "Do it again!"

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Kagome felt like her skin was dissolving away from her bones. Moving was torture, but she was sick of lying in bed. She had awakened yesterday, and nobody had stopped fussing over her since.

Inuyasha hadn't stopped assaulting her with questions. _'Are you feeling better? Did Sesshoumaru hurt you? Why are they still here? When can I kick Sesshoumaru's ass?'_ It was really annoying. Even though Kagome had already explained the prior events, Inuyasha still pestered her. _'Hurry up and heal already.'_ It seemed as if he couldn't wait to get back and gloat over his brother's failure. Kagome sighed with her remembrances.

Kikyou had reverted back to healer, constant vigil at her bedside and asking her mother for herbs that had long been extinct in this time period. But in her defense, Kikyou had given her some advice on reading her body's silent messages on how to tell when to slow down or stop altogether in order to avoid this in the future.

Her mother was acting like Kagome was an infant again. Spoon-feeding her, adjusting the weight of the blankets pressing down on her body, and fluffing her pillows were all favorite pastimes for her mother over the last few hours.

It was infuriating. She had finally gained independence by being capable of protecting herself only to be shoved back into damsel in distress status.

She huffed. "I need a bath." Kagome said. Kikyou and her mother both stood to draw the water, and Inuyasha blushed slightly and vacated the room.

Getting up and moving around hurt beyond belief, but it did make her feel better emotionally. She was still traumatized about the whole 'kissing' incident.

The influx of emotions she felt were bewildering. At the time, she knew she cared for him, but love? No, it couldn't be. 'It was probably just the life and death situation making me feel as if I loved him. Yes, that has to be it. Please let that be it.' She pleaded with herself.

Flashbacks haunted her. The concern he exhibited when she took the poison meant for him. He had cared for her; he cared for her when she almost killed herself and him with her own attack, also. Scenes of their endless practice sessions drifted through her mind, he was lethal but extraordinary in his skill. The slight smiles he gave her when no one else was around warmed her like no fire or heater could.

'I might be attracted to him, but love is a vast overstatement.'

It scared her. Sesshoumaru was a demon who hated humans. Even if he did make a slight exception for her, he could never return the feelings Kagome had tried to avoid.

She mentally berated herself. 'I specifically remember going back into the feudal era with the mindset of staying away from boys.' She became determined. 'I am my own person. I am independent, and I don't need anyone, male or female, to make me who I want to be.' She nodded in affirmation as her mother stuck her head through the door.

"Kagome, your bath is ready."

Kagome took a few tentative steps toward the door, and she declined her mother's attempt to help her. 'Independent.' She reminded herself fiercely and ignored the aching of her battered body.

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Aishi slowed to a stop and looked up to the sky with a bewildered expression.

Mokuso stopped just short of running into him. "Tired?" She asked with a smirk.

He didn't answer her, but instead began running in the direction they had just spent a full day running from.

"Why are we turning around?" She yelled out and began following again. After moments of running, a shadow engulfed her and the surrounding ground.

The shadow passed so quickly, she wondered if it had been imagined, but when Aishi's speed increased in pursuit, she knew it was not imagined.

Mokuso looked to the sky and saw the huge white body of a dog running through the sky overhead. 'Is that Lord Sesshoumaru? It could be no one else.' She looked to Aishi ahead of her and increased her speed to pull up beside him.

"Where's he going?" She asked the general.

"I don't know, but we will find out." He said, determined.

Sesshoumaru's speed was nothing short of marvelous as he began disappearing into the clouds.

Both runners increased their pace once again, and began racing towards the horizon.

But Aishi and Mokuso weren't the only ones that noticed the heaven bound inu. In fact, many had seen him coursing past, but there were a select few that altered their path in order to follow his.

Four of Rokoshi's assassins were close enough to see the airborne beast, and all turned to stalk their intended prey.

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After her bath was done, Kagome convinced everyone that she was tired and needed to sleep, and they left her alone for a bit.

When they were gone, she paced slowly around the room, loosening the muscles of her legs. She was still stiff from her prolonged stay in bed but the bath had helped out with those aches greatly. Circling her arms tentatively, she worked out the kinks in her neck and shoulders.

Every movement hurt, but she pushed herself. She wanted to be in top shape by tomorrow. Last time this happened she had been sore for days, but, then again, last time it took hours and Sesshoumaru's help to walk a few steps.

'Sesshoumaru' She thought with a pang. 'Does he hate me for what happened?' Kagome stopped and stubbornly pushed that out of her mind for the time and concentrated on her healing.

She wanted to get back as soon as possible. She missed her friends; she missed her Shippo.

She loved the little kit like a son, but it was such a big responsibility to care for him. Kagome was tentative to make any long term commitments to the past; the well could close up at any time.

'It would be my luck to adopt him only to be torn away from him on the next visit to my family. What would he do then? I can't do that to him. He's already been orphaned once.' Because of this fear she had distanced herself from the boy slightly in hopes that he could learn some self-reliance, but it pained her to do so.

She shook herself from the depressing path her thoughts had taken her down. 'Ok, muscles are limbering up slowly. Let's try a bit of power.' She needed a distraction and this was perfect.

Holding up her hand in front of her, she made a little white glow appear in her palm. It hovered for a moment before flickering out.

'Man, I must have really over done it.' She sighed. 'Back to the beginning, Higurashi.' She mentally scolded.

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Rokoshi and Mokuso had been chasing Sesshoumaru's disappearing form for about two hours. The taiyoukai's pace was quicker than theirs, so his was now only a small dot in the distance.

It didn't really bother Aishi, though. He had a pretty good idea where his lord was going now. Even though the general didn't know the exact location of the other manner of the Western Lands, he knew he could find Sesshoumaru eventually by aura or scent because he knew the immediate area in which it was located.

Suddenly both Aishi and Mokuso stopped dead in their tracks. Something wasn't right.

They knew they needed to stay on the trail of the demon lord, but their instincts were screaming at them to ignore him temporarily. Survival instincts are a bad thing to ignore.

Both figures freeze, alert and ready for anything.

Movement to his right causes Aishi to duck then parry a follow up blow that was inches from his neck.

Aishi knew this was an assassin. He was too skilled to be any ordinary soldier; it seemed as if he was more comfortable with his sword than he was with his own hands.

The general had barely been allowed to draw one of his swords. The way he dodged the original attack would have amputated his arm had he reached for his other sword. 'Yes, this opponent is not one to be underestimated.'

Aishi blocked a swing towards his stomach and forced the attacker back with enough strength to throw him off balance long enough to draw his second sword. Aishi smirked at the black-clad enemy when he had the comfort of two hands filled with lethal weapons.

Double swords reflected the light of the sun momentarily as the two paused. After a breath, the battle resumed.

Mokuso gasped at the scene unfurling before her. Aishi and some unknown soldier were exchanging attacks with a speed and fury never experienced by her before. It was hypnotic in its ferocity; passion and skill mingled in a storm of blows.

Aishi twirled, both swords deflected by a solid metal spear; the assassin used the deflections to his advantage and thrust at Aishi's feet.

Aishi leaped into the air, twisting over his opponent and landing behind him while simultaneously sending his first sword towards the exposed back.

Within a flash of onyx, the assassin jumped forward, curled in midair, and landed on his feet just out of Aishi's reach. He spun, forcing his spear back at the firecat, but the spear was again deflected.

The spear glanced off the sword harmlessly, but quickly changed direction. With the flick of his wrist, the assassin turned the blade, allowing him to try for Aishi's head.

Aishi leaned back low enough to escape the swipe while swinging his swords under the advancing spear. The under-swung swords made an arch inward towards the enemy, but he realized the strategy and maneuvered around the threats.

Aishi straightened and leapt backwards into the air once more as his opponent swiped at his midsection. He flipped in midair and pushed off a tree behind him, surging him towards the waiting foe, one sword bent overhead and the other straight ahead, ready for his heart's blood.

Spinning his spear, Aishi's aim was repelled on both accounts, but the forward force of his momentum, crushed the youkai opposite him against a tree behind him.

Aishi's swords were crossed over the assassin's throat, held at bay by his vertical spear, but the two were locked in a temporary stalemate.

The general's strength held the assassin against the rough bark, but the strong metal staff of the spear warded off the lethal position Aishi almost had almost trapped him in.

"What is your purpose in attacking me?" Aishi growled at his assailant.

"That is none of your concern." The answer spit back at him as the owner of the statement tried to force Aishi off of him.

Aishi let the killer push him back slightly, but it was only a ploy. The general shifted his weight to his back foot with the help of the trapped spearman, and he then swept his opponents feet out from underneath him with his free front foot.

The assassin landed in a heap on the ground. Aishi kicked his spear from his grasp, and poetically arranged both swords in a kill position.

"One more try, what is your purpose in attacking me." Aishi demanded more than asked.

The supine warrior clenched his eyes in concentration. "I will not betray my lord." He hissed the words as a snake would. After a second's pause, a malicious grin crossed his face. "If I were you, I would not be worried about me. Your lord is the primary target; the others can finish him easily. You and the other general are only after thoughts to kill. I just happened upon you first. I would hurry if you wish to see him draw his last breath."

Aishi's eyes widened in shock. Without the slightest hesitation, the general beheaded the assassin and sped towards the horizon his lord had disappeared over.

Mokuso was still motionless. Both were amazing warriors, and Aishi had rightfully won the contest. But the death of the assassin, even though he would have killed Aishi, and most likely her, also, bothered her.

She hated to see death. Even though she was youkai, even though she was trained in combat, she had never been the cause of someone's death. She had only seen a few die, and those were peaceful in their passing.

The quick splash of blood and the roll and rock of the disconnected head made her nauseous.

But she couldn't turn away, she could only stare in fascinated horror.

"Wench!!" Aishi yelled as he raced away. "I hope you don't need me to hold your hand!"

Her stupor was shattered by his rude comment, and even though she should have yelled her lungs out at the arrogant general, she was just glad to have him interrupt the disturbing trance she had fallen into.

Trying to suppress the image, she sprinted at top speed towards Aishi. The winds flew through her mane, whisking away the sightless eyes that held her prisoner only seconds ago.

Mokuso had been trained to defend herself, but her skill was lacking compared to the scene she had watched between the male she was trailing and the corpse she had left.

But she had a gift that allowed her inability at combat. Speed. She had never met anything, youkai, animal, or human, male or female, that could match her speed, and she could sustain that pace for hours.

In seconds, she was beside Aishi again. His speed was faster than earlier. He seemed almost frantic in his pace.

'Well, he is trying to protect his lord. At least I know he is loyal.' She thought as they raced through the foliage of the forest surrounding them.

But Mokuso started to worry after half an hour of this pace. "Are you even going to be able to fight when we get there?" She asked as trees flew between them.

"What are you talking about?" He snarled.

"Well, you won't be any good to your lord, if you have no energy when we arrive." She admonished.

"I can feel his aura. He is just over this ridge." He stated and further increased his pace.

As they topped the hill, Mokuso was again surprised as another perfectly seamless battle was raging.

The whirlwind of weapons and claws stopped as four fighters retreated to their temporary corners.

Sesshoumaru, peerless in his skill, stood with sword drawn, gleaming in pristine white. He appeared unaffected by the world as the assassins plotted his demise.

The three assassins crouched in defensive positions to ward off any attack Sesshoumaru may throw at them to break the seconds of peace.

Sesshoumaru only watched them; his stoic face betraying nothing of his mood or tactics.

As if in silent communication, all three hired killers lunged. Two closed in from the left and right, the last dove from the front. All determined to end the taiyoukai's life.

Aishi gasped from the top of the hill. If he didn't get there soon, he was afraid his lord might have more of a fight than he could handle.

The first assassin had been incredibly difficult to defeat; if these were on the same skill level... 'Please don't let me be too late.' Aishi prayed as he rushed toward his battle engaged lord.

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Sorry I was a little late, but I was abducted. Yes my friends, 'Human Physiology' decided it liked my company far too much for my comfort. But hey, I got it up within the weekend, just like I promised. I'll have the next chapter up next weekend.

Yes, this was a bit of a cliffie, but guess what...you wanted more action. My beloved readers, you wanted it...you got it, but I withhold the right to be evil with my action sequences! See you next week.


	29. Play Fight

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 28

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Sesshoumaru stood poised for attack, but his stance was unreadable to his opponents.

The taiyoukai had known he was being followed, and gracefully landed to dispatch his unwanted guests. He was close to his destination, but far enough away that Rin would not be able to chance upon the battle field.

The assassins were strong; Sesshoumaru cursed himself for being so careless as to romp about over the countryside without taking the necessary precautions of concealing himself. Even in the direst situations and the most panic-stricken states, he had never displayed such negligence.

Now he would have to pay for it in blood.

He knew his own strength, even after such a tiring journey, was capable of defeating the three before him, but with the three of them joining together, the possibility existed that he might not come out unscratched.

One of the assassins tilted his blade ever so slightly. A flash of sunlight reflected into Sesshoumaru's eyes temporarily throwing him off guard.

And the three lunged.

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"HA! I did it!" Kagome exclaimed as she commanded her energy to manifest itself. Three little white orbs floated happily around her as she stood in the middle of her room with only a towel to cover her.

After her bath, she had felt so relaxed. She hadn't felt any pain for the first time in hours, so she tried to bring her power under control again.

And that was the scene Inuyasha, Kikyou, and Ms Higurashi stumbled in upon.

Kagome looked up in surprise. Inuyasha was blushing but not turning away, Kikyou held her calm expression, and her mother was casting glances from her inappropriately clad daughter to the blushing male in front of her.

She almost dropped the towel in surprise at the sudden intrusion, but gripped it fiercely to hold it in place as her mouth dropped open in shock. A cautious glance down her body caused her to squeak slightly in embarrassment. She had just discovered why Inuyasha was blushing; she had just been reminded of her current attire.

Mother Higurashi and Kikyou both stepped in to provide Kagome with cover and the needed catalyst to inspire her to seek the solitude and clothing of her closet.

As he saw the two women step before him, one facing him, one not, he hurriedly cast his head to the side, his blush becoming twice as noticeable.

He had expected her to 'sit' him through the floor, but Kagome had been too surprised and embarrassed to act in any way other than the ever-attractive "deer in headlights" look.

He turned to walk out of her room, but Kagome's voice, muffled through the door of her closet, halted him.

"Inuyasha, I should be ready to go back by this evening, or first thing tomorrow." She paused for a second. "But you're still a hentai!" She mumbled heatedly.

"WHAT?! I am not! I didn't"

But before he could get any further in his denial, Kikyou's firm grip on his sleeve pulled him out of the room and closed the door behind them.

Kagome heard her bedroom door shut and breathed a sigh of relief. She changed quickly then exited her closet only to find her mother sitting on her bed looking at her expectantly.

"Kagome, are you sure you wish to return?" Her mother's soft voice called to her.

The miko walked over to her mother and sat beside her. Kagome felt her mother's hand on her knee, and she placed her own hand over her mother's.

"Yes, I still have unfinished business to handle. I'm afraid I might have messed things up terribly, but I have to try to fix things, to set things right again." Kagome started out quietly, but her voice rose, powered by her determination.

"You have grown so much since you started this journey." A small smile painted her lips. "Be safe, and come back as quickly as possible. That is all I ask." Warm arms wrapped around Kagome as she heard he mother speak those words.

"I will, mom." She returned the hug and squeezed slightly as if to enforce her words.

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Sango and Miroku entered the clearing of the Bone Eater's Well and stood in shock for a second.

"Hey, that's not fair. Come back. I'm going to get you!"

What they saw was Shippo chasing around full grown youkai who was weaving in and out of the surrounding trees laughing hysterically.

Shouron noticed his audience and stopped his half-hearted escape.

Too bad for him.

Shippo took full advantage by scampering up his clothes and attacking his ears. Shouron yelped at the brutal assault and soon held the little kit by the base of his tail in midair.

Sango and Miroku stood stock still, mouths agape as the kitsune became a blurry red form kicking and wiggling trying to escape his holder. Finally he crossed his arms over his chest and pouted.

"May I ask what has happened here?" Miroku fell back onto formality as he approached the unhappy child and the merry youkai.

With a half laugh, Shouron started. "I singed his tail."

It wasn't until that statement that Sango and Miroku noticed a bald spot on the very tip of Shippo's tail.

"Meanie." Shipppo pouted.

"I assure you, little one, it will grow back. If you hadn't jumped in the way of your attack it wouldn't have happened." The general lectured.

"Wait. How does one get in the way of their own attack?" Sango questioned, finally speaking through her uneasiness.

"I can manipulate fire. I took control of his attack, and he wanted to regain that control." Shouron paused to let the information sink in. "He jumped up to try to catch the flame; it was only quick reflexes on both our parts that saved him from losing his ponytail, too." A firm but amused voice replayed the scene.

Sango and Miroku were still cautious around the unknown youkai, but they were hard pressed not to laugh at the pouting kit. And it didn't seem like this youkai meant any harm. After all, Shippo had just converted his ears into a chew toy, and the general had not retaliated in any way other than holding him up in the air.

"Show off." Shippo grumbled then began to squirm again. "Let me down. I'll show you whose boss!"

Shouron made eye contact with Sango. "What do I do with him now?"

Sango smirked. "You get to deal with him until Inuyasha comes back. Then Shippo will most likely harass him for chasing Kagome away."

Shouron gave her a perplexed look then looked to the monk for answers. Miroku just smiled slightly and walked up to him to introduce himself and his companion.

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His head tilted back slightly to allow the blade to pass harmlessly. Another blade and a set of claws closed in from either side, but the attacks were parried by his sword and his own claws.

Sesshoumaru sidestepped as an assassin tried to kick him from behind. But the kick landed on another assassin. The lord took this opportunity to land a blow to one of his attackers and sent him flying backward away from the fight.

The remaining two didn't spare a glance at their comrade as they continued to swipe at their target.

Sesshoumaru smirked at their fruitless attempts. 'They are very good, very strong, but they are not as intelligent as Kagome.'

It surprised him, the thought that surfaced in his mind, but it was not unfounded. Through the daily, morning practice ritual, Sesshoumaru had become much faster defensively. Kagome's numerous weapons hovering in midair ready to slice or burn him had honed his instincts to a razor's edge.

Even though, between the three of them, they had twelve limbs ready to strike at him anywhere, Kagome often warmed up with ten of her weapons, gradually increasing in number throughout the session.

And he could not read her actions. All motions of her discs or orbs were caused by a thought; no outward expression would alert him. He had been forced to read the slight shifts in the power surrounding him in order to predict which ones would move and where.

These fools could be read easily by the shifting of their weight, the tightening of their muscles and stance, and the explosion of youki that preceded every strike.

Sesshoumaru ducked under a swinging blade and slashed with his claws at one of his assailants. The resulting gash was not deep, but it traveled across the gut and up leaving claw trails over the shoulder.

He realized he shouldn't be playing with them in such a manner, but he hadn't realized how much pent up frustration he was holding. He wanted to feel their flesh tearing under his claws. He wanted to enjoy the smell of their blood. These who obeyed the one who planned his demise would die by his hands. And Sesshoumaru would enjoy every second of it.

As if the smell of blood of their own was a silent signal, the attackers paused and jumped back. Maybe it was to regroup, maybe it was an attempt to let the wounded one recover for a moment, Sesshoumaru was unaware of the reasons, but he cared not.

If they wished to prolong their life temporarily, who would he be to refuse them this last request?

'And it will be their last.' The taiyoukai lifted the corner of his mouth slightly in a sadist's smile.

Sesshoumaru noticed the arrival of two more, and excitement filled him for a second. He believed the battle might become more of a challenge, preventing its ending. But it would not be so.

He realized seconds later that one of the two approaching was Aishi. The other was a mystery, but one which would be solved soon. They were closing in quickly.

One of the assassins leaped at him, sword drawn. Toukijin met with the sword and a sizzle of power erupted between the two swords.

Another swung at Sesshoumaru while the first held his sword immobile. The inu's eyes narrowed at such dishonorable tactics, but he quickly avoided the danger.

Sesshoumaru shoved his first opponent back so brutally that he lost his footing. The second was deflected by his, now free, sword, and the lord shifted his weight to the side to allow the second's momentum to carry him beyond Sesshoumaru.

The inuyoukai was about to deal a deathblow across the second's back, severing the spinal cord, but the first had regained his footing and began attacking again. The third had also decided to step in at this time; apparently his wound had healed sufficiently to allow for more combat.

A swing and a miss, a kick that never came close. The thrust of a sword was blocked, and countered. Sesshoumaru's counter was blocked.

It all felt slow to him. Their bodies, though lithe, were much bulkier than a simple sphere; therefore, they were slower than his usual opponent.

Sesshoumaru was almost bored. It took very little effort to defend himself, and he hadn't put too much effort into attacking, yet.

Aishi and the mystery guest became visible to him as the attackers continued their sluggish assaults.

They assassins once again jumped back to encircle him. 'Maybe an intimidation technique?' Sesshoumaru thought, 'Nonsense, they should know it is not a simple task to intimidate a taiyoukai. Fools.'

They all lunged at him simultaneously. Once again their weapons were denied his flesh.

'Enough, time to end this.' He thought as he saw Aishi racing towards him.

He blocked an incoming sword, holding it immobile above his. Sesshoumaru's free hand called forth his whip and lashed at one of the attackers.

The whip snapped across his face. The assassin dropped his sword and brought both hands to his face, feeling the sensitive skin around his eyes as it melted partially due to the still sizzling, acidic mark.

With one temporarily disabled, Sesshoumaru had little trouble with the other two.

He blocked another swinging sword, and flicked his wrist. His opponent's weapon flew across the clearing and embedded itself in a nearby tree.

Claws behind him were extended to tear Sesshoumaru's head off, but before they could connect, he spun and drug his poison coated nails through his torso.

He turned back to the recently unarmed assassin; with a quick spin on his heel and a flash of metal, his enemy lost his head and collapsed in a heap on the ground. Completing his circle, Sesshoumaru now faced his other assailants. The partially melted face of his first victim had reappeared, and the man's one remaining eye burned with the desire for vengeance.

Two injured opponents left. Sesshoumaru now wondered how he could have possibly thought them to be a challenge earlier.

But they would have been, if he had not been training with Kagome.

'Perhaps.' Sesshoumaru grudgingly admitted.

He dodged the last two desperate attempts to end his life, and quickly put theirs to an end with Toukijin bathed in their life blood.

Casting one last disdainful look at his victims, he turned on his heel and started walking towards his approaching general.

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"Kagome!!" Shippo squealed as he saw a bag thrown over the edge of the well. It was not her usually yellow one.

Using the vines to climb up the side of the well, Kagome appeared a few seconds later only to be attacked by an over amorous kitsune.

"Kagome, you're back. Are you ok? Was Inuyasha being a jerk again? Did you bring me any candy?" Shippo spouted off so quickly it made Kagome's head spin.

"Slow down Shippo; I'm fine." She laughed and hugged him. "I missed you, too."

A red blur followed, jumping out of the well. "And I didn't do anything this time, runt." Inuyasha stated as he set Kikyou down in front of him.

The former hanyou looked up to see Shouron, Sango, and Miroku standing by. "What is going on?" He cast a glance over everyone, but it went unnoticed as Kagome saw her long lost friends.

"Sango! Miroku! How have you been?" She ran to hug the taijiya, and Shippo got squished between the two girls.

"Hey, I can't breathe!" He protested.

Miroku spoke up. "Most men would kill to be in your position; stop complaining."

Both girls shot the monk a glare. Kagome's was more exasperated as Sango's carried an unvoiced threat. Shouron couldn't help but smile at the group's antics. Shippo squirmed free of his prison and hopped onto Kagome's shoulder.

"How are you feeling Kagome?" Shouron spoke up.

She smiled at the general. "Almost fully recovered. And yourself?" Kagome asked as she walked up to him.

"Never better. But you've reminded me. I have yet to thank you for my life." He bowed to her.

Kagome gave him a puzzled look. "But Sesshoumaru was the one who brought you back, there is no need to thank me."

"All of our lives would have been forfeit had you not taken us from that battle. Know that the others will never admit it, but they are a grateful, also."

Kagome gave him a sad smile. "I thank you for your words, but I don't believe them. I think Sesshoumaru and Aishi hate me for what happened." She dropped her head and turned to walk away.

Shouron caught her shoulder and turned her to face him. "No one wants to die before their time, Kagome. We were all prepared to die for the honor of the Western Lands, but it is not something we desired. Sesshoumaru's pride keeps him from accepting your help, and he fears that his reputation will be tarnished. Do not worry. As soon as everything is regained, he will realize his mistake."

Kagome nodded. "What about Aishi?"

"Aishi?â€Well, Aishi refuses to admit that a woman, and a human woman at that, saved his life. He can be dealt with. Just challenge him to a friendly fight. If you lose, his pride will be repaired; if he loses, he will acknowledge you as a warrior. Be warned, though, Aishi considers no one to be his superior except Lord Sesshoumaru."

"Challenge him? But what if I don't want to do that?" Kagome looked at him incredulously.

Shouron donned a contemplative look. "Then his hurt pride will fester, and he will probably be quite mean to you in the future."

Kagome looked like she bit into a bitter lemon. "So I take it I have to?"

The general smiled. "It would be my recommendation."

"Wait a minute!" Inuyasha interrupted as he stomped over to the two. "Kagome's not challenging anyone." He turned to Kagome. "What do you think you're doing? You can't"

"I can do anything I please, Inuyasha. I have done just fine the past few weeks without you governing my actions. You would do well not to tell me what to do!" Kagome answered his orders!

Shouron took a step back, away from the yelling couple. He looked up to see a calm woman that resembled Kagome walking towards them.

"Inuyasha." Her voice was soft but firm. "Kagome is right. If this is something she needs to do, you should not interfere." Kikyou put a calming hand in his shoulder as she spoke.

"Feh! Do what you want." He said, shrugging Kikyou's hand off his shoulder and walking away.

Kagome watched him walk until Sango and Miroku came into her line of vision. "Oh! Shouron, have you met my good friends Sango, Miroku, and Shippo?" She asked as she led him back towards the two.

Shippo, who was still on her shoulder, sent a glare to the general. "Kagome, Shouron was mean to me." He pouted.

Kagome stopped in her tracks. "What?" She asked with a bit of doubt in her voice.

"See!" He pointed to the bald spot on his tail. "He burned me. He's mean!"

Kagome lifted an eyebrow at Shouron, waiting for his explanation, and the general couldn't help but think she had spent too much time with Sesshoumaru. She was picking up his habits.

"Well." She prompted as she took a few menacing steps towards him.

Shouron raised his hands defensively and back up a bit. "It wasn't like that at all, Kagome."

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"Lord Sesshoumaru, of the Western Lands, my name is Mokuso. I have been sent here on behalf of my lord, Dachi, of the Eastern Lands."

Everything had settled down. Sesshoumaru still wished to make haste to Rin's side, but he would not lead a stranger to his hidden fortress. And it seemed she would not leave until her business with him was finished.

"A message from the Eastern Lands? You are aware that Lord Dachi is not an ally of mine, are you not?"

"Yes, but my lord wishes that to change. I also have news of the southern lands and circumstances there."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Proceed."

"Lord Sesshoumaru, you were not the only one attacked a week ago. The Eastern and Southern Lands were, also. If the pattern holds, the Northern Lord was also attacked, but I have not seen or heard proof of that myself."

"Interesting." Was the only comment from the taiyoukai.

"The Southern Lord was killed. The overthrow was completed, and there is a new lord that has taken power. The coup of the Eastern Lands however was not successful. Lord Dachi found out of the plans and thwarted them in the last moments, but his army and his health are not unscathed."

"What does he wish of me?" Sesshoumaru asked in a flat tone.

"He seeks an alliance. Obviously there is a higher intellect guiding the concurrent attacks, and no lord is safe until the one who orchestrated this situation is put down."

"How much of his army does he retain?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Only one-fourth of his original number." Mokuso answer somewhat sadly.

"He seeks my help." Sesshoumaru stated. It was not a question; he knew the motive behind the message.

"Yes, lord."

"You have seen the state of my lands." This comment was a question, but one could not tell by the solid tone of voice.

"Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru." Mokuso answered with her head still bowed.

"Then you know that I am in no position to help Dachi." He answered succinctly.

"From what I have seen of your fighting skill, and my knowledge of your strategies, even a minimal amount of aid provided by you, will help vastly, Lord Sesshoumaru." Mokuso answered with no tone in her voice.

"Flattery is unbecoming and inefficient." He retorted harshly.

"Forgive me, my lord, but I do not flatter; I praise." Mokuso raised her eyes to his.

The taiyoukai gave a dignified snort.

Sesshoumaru retreated to his thoughts. He needed to devise a plan to regain his lands; he needed to contact those loyal to him. There were many things that remained undone.

But first and foremost, he needed to retrieve his ward and retainer.

"I will think on his proposal. Until I give you my answer, you will stay with Aishi." Sesshoumaru lifted his gaze to his general. "I am going to retrieve Rin; then I will head back to Kagome and Shouron. Take her and meet me there. Since my speed will be hindered with the addition, take the time to explain the situation to the others. We will make plans at that time." With those parting words, Sesshoumaru turned and disappeared into the trees behind him.

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A/N: Sorry for my tardiness once again; my studies are filleting my hindquarters for their twisted pleasure. Man, physiology sucks! Granted, some chapters are fascinating othersâ€ well, it took me three hours to read a thirty page chapter because my mind didn't want to work. Instead it took me on random tangents on how many different ways one could spell acetylcholine wrong. Yes, I need an outlet for my insanity. Luckily, for me anyways, you guys are reading one.

IMPORTANT: I will try my damnedest to update next weekend, but I have three sadistic tests coming up, sequentially. Definition of 'sadistic test:' a test that takes at least a full week of studying for hours nightly in order to comprehend the material and be thoroughly prepared. Yes, my friends, one is enough. Like I said, I will try to update again next weekend, but I cannot promise. My sincere apologies.

Also: I will have to delay answering last chapter's reviews. Forgive me, I will get to them within the week.


	30. The Challenge

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 29 The Challenge

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Sesshoumaru was disturbed.

Rin, Jaken, and AhUn were trailing behind him on his youki cloud. He took a slow, steady pace, allowing the clouds far below to cover their progress; his own power was covering their auras and scent. He would not make the same mistake he had made on his way to the fortress.

This time, his group was with him, and he would not subject them to anything less than perfection. For he was perfection, beauty, strength, power, intelligence, confidence.

But the abstract of perfection temporarily eluded him on the confidence idea because of troubling thoughts.

Now that Rin was taken away from her hideaway, what would keep her safe by his standards? He, personally, couldn't protect her if he had to launch a counterattack to reclaim his lands.

Either one of his generals would be fully capable of protecting her, but would they risk their lives for a human child? Kagome would, but could he trust her to stay with Rin rather than following him into battle?

An interesting thought crossed his mind at that point. His ward was, quite possibly, the only thing that would keep her away from the situation. She was responsible, and she would not shift Rin's care to anyone else if the child was entrusted to her.

He almost smiled at the newly formed decision.

Sesshoumaru didn't want her with him. Why? The taiyoukai was desperately trying not to know. Currently the feeling was disguised by a veil of anger and betrayal at her deceit. But logic had previously told him that veil could easily be ripped away because it the difficult task of retaining his anger at her actions, despite his wounded pride.

Even his pride was working against him. The Southern Lord fell and is now dead because of the coup of his power. The Eastern Lord was severely crippled, militarily, and, according to his scout, injured badly himself.

The Northern Lands were the only uncertainty as far as the cardinal lands were concerned. The outer regions and untamed areas might have been a target, also, but there was no evidence to support that theory. Plus, with the four strongholds united under one leader or a close group of strategists, the chaos of the outskirts would easily be overcome.

His enemies were at a great advantage. They held knowledge that was restricted from his access. This was new to him, and frustrated him almost to the point of visibly showing it.

Some unforeseen power had risen, infiltrated his ranks, turned many of his soldiers against him, attempted his death, and were now still holding information he wanted.

He wanted to know who was behind this; he wanted to know how involved they were. Was there an overall leader that orchestrated everything from afar? Or was there a board of unsettled power reserves that recruited contemptuous traitors from within the lands? How long had Rokoshi and Samon been planning his demise?

Rokoshi was intelligent and strong, but he was never cunning. There was someone using his former general as a puppet. But why? And what would they get in return?

Things were not adding up, and he did not like it at all. He knew so little about his aggressors, yet it appeared they had studied him and the other lords extensively.

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His frustrations struggled fiercely to be voiced, but the muscles in his throat crushed the sound mercilessly before it surfaced. Aishi glanced back at the scout again.

Nothing.

She was annoying the hell out of him, but he could not find a reason. She had not spoken a word to him since they left Lord Sesshoumaru. She had not slowed their pace down at all, if anything, she forced him to keep a faster speed. And he had his mental abilities firmly clamped. Her thoughts would not intrude upon his.

So why was he so uptight around her? It was to the point where he wanted to turn around and bathe his claws in her blood. It would be easy. Compared to his level of skill, she seemed to be an infant in her capabilities and fighting instincts. Yet she had done nothing to warrant such a response.

So what was this aggravation towards her?

'It does not matter, we are nearing the set destination. I will find other matters to occupy my mind.' He thought.

Only an hour, he had to only control the fury for one more hour. Maybe less, if he fueled the ire inside into his speed.

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Kagome had regained her abilities and had healed somewhat emotionally. Now she just had to wait until Sesshoumaru and Aishi returned. But she had doubts that they would return.

She didn't regret her decision; she would do the same thing if the situation was had to do over again. But she did regret that Sesshoumaru felt betrayed by her actions.

Kagome did regret the trust lost between them. Clenching her eyes closed, she was determined to put that guilt past her. 'I did it to same his life! I had to, else he would die.'

Her fists closed so tightly her nails dug into the flesh of her palm.

"Kagome." Shouron's voice pulled her from her inner debate.

His voice reminded her. Sesshoumaru and Aishi would at least come back for the other general before rushing into war.

Her fears relieved somewhat, Kagome let the tension melt from her hands, face, and posture. She turned to face the youkai with a smile painted on her face.

"Yes, Shouron. Did you need something?"

"I just came to let you know that Aishi will be here soon. You seemed...too preoccupied to notice his approach. There is one other with him, but it is an unfamiliar."

Kagome felt relieved at his words. He knew there was something bothering her; in all likelihood, he knew exactly what was causing her anguish, but he would not intrude unless invited.

"Thank you. Where are the others?" She asked as she realized Shippou, Sango, Miroku, and Kirara had left the immediate area. She could pinpoint them by their aura, but she was hoping they left a reason for their departure with the general.

"I sent them back to the village." Shouron answered nonchalantly.

Kagome turned to face him fully. "Why would they need to be confined to the village?"

Shouron smiled. "Not confined, just ...away."

Kagome sent him a questioning, but somewhat tense, look.

Shouron sighed. "Aishi's return will bring with it information Lord Sesshoumaru requested. I do not know if my lord wanted that knowledge spread to those not under his rule. I am sure they are trustworthy if they are your companions, but Aishi will not allow them to know without Lord Sesshoumaru's expressed permission. And he is not here to give it. Aishi will be much less polite with his dismissal than I, so I took it upon myself to request their departure."

"Thank you. That was very considerate of you." She said with a grateful smile.

"No thanks needed." He said as he turned to face the section of trees to his right. Kagome followed his gaze and soon saw a flash of red in the trees.

Her first thoughts were of Rokoshi's fiery locks, but the aura was not his. Kagome watched as Aishi emerged from the forest; his green hair no longer acting as camouflage in the surrounding foliage.

The red was from a female youkai walking behind him. A deep rust red bun held the main portion of her mane, but cherry red stems framed her face, falling from the tie that bound the rest.

Aishi glanced at Kagome. "I see you are awake." He said with little concern in his voice.

Kagome gave him a dry look. "Very observant, general." The sarcasm in her voice caused Shouron to wince and think the reunion might not be very pleasant.

Mokuso watched Aishi and the other female stand off against each other. This confused her greatly. The girl was a human, and yet she had the audacity to be disrespectful to Sesshoumaru's first general. She could sense the purity of a miko's power within the girl, but no miko could be powerful enough to stand up to Aishi.

She was either protected by Lord Sesshoumaru or was much more powerful than the scout had assumed to speak in such a manner and still have her head attached. There was only one was to find out.

Aishi glared at the insult. "I should kill you for your insolence." The threat was not valid, and both knew it.

"I've heard that line before." Kagome paused to allow him to remember the incident in his quarters. "I should kill you for your insult to my virtue." She answered matching his tone. "But, that would be somewhat pointless after the lengths I went through to save you." Her voice was tainted with the acid of her earlier frustrations.

Aishi did nothing but glare at her. She was right; he had insulted her, and she had spared his life twice. But there was nothing this side of the sky that could make him admit those things to her.

Mokuso's eyes widened. 'She saved him, but they seem to hate each other. What is going on?'

But a soothing voice interrupted the glare match. "Milady, I am General Shouron; this is Lady Kagome. I am afraid we have not been introduced." Shouron said as he sent a brief glare at Aishi for his rudeness.

Aishi's voice interrupted the introductions. "She is no lady."

Both females glared at him, not knowing to whom he referred. Instead of offering an answer, Aishi simply turned away from Kagome's threat and allowed the introductions to be made without him.

Kagome's ire drained from her face, and a pleasant smile replaced the tension. "Please, call me Kagome." She said as bowed to the newcomer.

"My name is Mokuso; I am a scout for Lord Dachi of the Eastern Lands." Mokuso bowed during her speech.

Shouron spoke with kindness. "What is your business here, Lady Mokuso? And why would you subject yourself to Aishi's company, for that matter?"

A growl from Aishi reached their ears, and Kagome had a hard time retaining her laughter. Shouron's mischievous smile at the sound did not help her struggle. Mokuso smiled gently at the scene.

"I had business with your lord. While I await an answer from him, I was told to follow General Aishi here." She spoke with confidence, but her voice lacked arrogance.

Shouron nodded his head, and Kagome spoke up. "Aishi, are we supposed to wait for Sesshoumaru, or are you meant to explain what is to happen?"

Aishi's glare faded slightly at her words. They were no longer offensive, but he still resented her. "I was told to tell you of events that have transpired, but the scout experienced it, personally. I was allowing her to tell it." His voice was steady and emotionless.

Mokuso scowled at his title for her, but dismissed it. She began to explain the events she had seen, but she left out her business with Lord Sesshoumaru. It was her duty to tell only the lord sought. If the taiyoukai wanted everyone to know, he would tell them, or maybe that was what Aishi was ordered to do.

But Aishi did not have to inform the others; they were intelligent and made the necessary connections, themselves.

Shouron spoke up again. "What has the Eastern Lord requested?" Mokuso looked over to him, but Aishi answered before she had decided on her response.

"Assistance. His forces have been decimated, and his is personally injured." He spoke without even looking at the two he addressed. Kagome huffed at his rude behavior.

"What does he expect of Lord Sesshoumaru? They were not allies. The only correlation between the two is their position. They were both attacked by the same enemy." Shouron turned to Mokuso. "Does Lord Dachi assume that makes Lord Sesshoumaru his ally?"

"Lord Dachi says there is someone behind this, coordinating the attacks. Neither he nor Sesshoumaru, perhaps even the northern lord if he survived, are safe until this magistrate has been punished for his treachery." Mokuso said with force behind her words.

Kagome looked to Aishi. "How did Lord Sesshoumaru respond?"

Silver eyes connected with blue. "He was noncommittal in his response. My lord would never jump into an alliance without the proper thought behind it." He dropped his gaze to look at Shouron across from him.

She nodded. "It would be advantageous to do so, though." Kagome thought aloud. "I hope he agrees."

Aishi's head snapped up. "How could fighting a war on two fronts with a weak ally be advantageous?" He hissed.

Kagome smirked. "You misunderstand my meaning. There was no intent to fight a two-front battle. The Eastern Lands would be a wonderful diversionary tactic."

Mokuso narrowed her eyes a bit. "You mean to use my lord?"

"Of course not. He would receive the aid needed, but while Rokoshi thinks Sesshoumaru has fled to the Eastern Lands for protection, we would go unnoticed in the Western Lands, our original target." Kagome said as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.

Shouron and Aishi looked at each other. "She does have a head for strategy." Shouron said with a smirk.

Aishi scoffed. "That is an underhanded strategy to be expected of a human."

Kagome glared at him. "You assume the tactic used by the traitors would be honorable? Highly unlikely. Plus, with the resources offered us, I see no other way. Even if Sesshoumaru recovered every soldier still loyal to him from within the lands, he built his estate as a fortress. Would you enjoy trying to storm the Western Citadel? The casualties would be so great, that even if he did ultimately succeed, his forces would be so crippled that any rebel force could give him problems."

Aishi's lips parted in surprise as Shouron laughed outright. "I knew there was something about you I liked." He said walking over to Kagome and laying a hand on her shoulder.

She questioned him with her brows furrowed.

He laughed harder. "I know of few people who could stand their ground in an argument of strategy against Aishi, let alone defeat him so utterly. Plus, the advantages of forging such an alliance with the Eastern Lord would be great." He said trying to rub in Aishi's defeat that much more.

Aishi's eye narrowed on Kagome as he walked towards her. "How does a human female such as yourself know about warfare? Is that knowledge from your strange land?"

Shock registered on Kagome's face. "You didn't..." She narrowed her eyes on the mind reader.

"I have seen some bewildering images in your mind." He confirmed with a smirk.

"You had no right!" Kagome near shouted.

"If I perceive a danger to my lord, I have every right." He countered.

"I know battle strategy from history and games I have played with family and friends. My origin is of no concern to you." Kagome said with clear threat in her voice.

"Quite the contrary. I find it highly interesting. Maybe I should try my skills against the barrier to your world." Aishi emphasized the last word to assure her he knew of her misleading words to Sesshoumaru.

Her eyes widened. "No one can travel through the barrier unless you are linked to me."

Shouron and Mokuso watched the scene with mixed feelings. Mokuso was extremely confused, but interested in the outcome of this small girl against the powerful demon.

The other general was debating whether to step in again, or just to let them have it out now before their lord returned. Sesshoumaru would be highly displeased at the confrontations between the two.

Aishi gained a terrifying grin. "Perhaps linking with your mind, your thoughts, would be a great enough link to allow me through." He said with utter confidence.

Kagome took a step back. She was not sure if the link had to be magical, such as her link to Inuyasha and Kikyou, or if what he was suggesting was possible. But she was not about to find out.

She steeled her voice and posture. Holding her head high she began to speak. "Perhaps, it is; that type of link has never been tried. But if you wish to visit my home, you will have to go through me first. Demons are not welcome there." She hissed the last part.

The observers were shocked by her last statement, and it showed clearly on their faces.

"Really, because I distinctly remember seeing a demon jump into that well and not returning." Aishi taunted her.

"No matter." Kagome countered. "He is a friend of mine, his link given to him by me. You are not welcome there."

Aishi's voice dropped in tone. "Are you challenging me human?"

"Only if you do not heed my warning." Kagome said but crouched slightly, readying herself if he decided to attack.

"Kagome..." Shouron tried to warn her.

"Nonsense, Shouron." Kagome spoke. "You told me yourself, the only way to gain his respect is to defeat him in a challenge. What better time than now?"

Aishi glared at Shouron for a second and then turned his eerie silver eyes back to the girl crouched in front of him. "I know you are strong against the masses, but one on one with me would mean your defeat."

"There is only one way to prove that to me, milord." Kagome bit out caustically.

Aishi growled. "You have been warned."

Kagome's vision had already changed from external to internal. She latched onto Aishi's aura and waited for him to attack.

Forming shields of her solid energy on her hands, she prepared.

Mokuso and Shouron watched intensely. The female never expecting Kagome to have anything other than a miko's power, and Shouron was interested in her close combat skills. He had seen her fight many enemies, but she was rarely without a shield to protect her.

This would be an interesting battle to him, short range versus long range.

Aishi swiped his claws at Kagome sending blades of energy at her. The girl's body radiated with purity, a pink glow emitted from every pore, and Aishi's blades were purified on contact.

Not even a scratch was made, and she had not moved a muscle. Aishi smiled. "I have underestimated you. This might be fun, after all."

Kagome made no comment and waited for his second attempt. He circled her slowly, trying to intimidate her. She remained still as a statue, waiting for the flare in his aura to signal his incoming attack.

It came from her right, and she quickly brought a shield covered hand to block. As soon as the impact came, she funneled pure energy into the shield, and heard the sizzle of his skin.

Aishi growled at the pain, but swung with his other hand hoping to catch her off guard. Kagome blocked that swing, too, but he was to strong physically for her to hold off his advances.

Aishi was forced back when two pink spheres flew by his face; he felt the on rush of wind from their proximity.

Kagome took this time to go on the offensive. Five spheres, alternating purity and solid energy, emerged from each hand and flew towards him.

Aishi watched uninterested as he dodged them all easily, but he was surprised when they didn't continue past him. All hovered about him as if they were forming a cage.

He glanced at Kagome out of the corner of his eye, she was smiling. She saw him glance at her, and broke the silence. "Sesshoumaru liked this game. I wonder if you will, too. Then again, he is much stronger than you." She taunted.

Both generals were shocked by her words.

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It had been a long journey, and he was weary.

As Sesshoumaru came within an hour's travel of the designated meeting place, he felt the spike of power associated with his general, Aishi. There was nothing too unusual about this, perhaps Aishi was training.

But then a spike associated only with Kagome, registered to his senses.

This could not be good.

Despite his weariness, his speed tripled. It would only be a short time until he reached them. He just hoped he would not have to revive either of them.

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Aishi straightened at her words. "So that's why you are confident in lee of my attacks."

"I thought you were going to fight with me, Aishi, not talk to me." Kagome said emotionlessly to bring him back to his situation.

The general's focus was brought back to the lights surrounding him. He watched them shift and move around him. Then three darted toward him.

He dodged them easily, but as soon as they passed, those rejoined the mesh of lights surrounding him. Three more darted out; he dodged those as well.

Three became five, five became ten. He noticed the number surrounding him had increased greatly. Eventually the whole fence surrounding him became a writhing weapon of which to be aware.

Mokuso watched, amazed. It was like the general was floating in the ocean currents with flotsam floating harmlessly around him. But she knew this wasn't the case.

Aishi was getting frustrated. He would never defeat her, if he couldn't brake through this cage.

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Sesshoumaru approached unnoticed. Warning Rin and Jaken to remain silent, he progressed towards his generals.

He found Aishi wrapped within one of Kagome's traps, dodging for all he was worth. He forced his face to remain stone, but the urge to smirk at his general's misfortune was great.

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AN: Hidy!! I'm back. So sorry about my absence, but my tests are gone, my reports are done, and I'm STILL SANE!! Well, as much as usual for me. I would have had this up on Friday, but I had a death very near me, and had I written this chapter then, angst would have drenched the plot. And I would have gotten much flamage! I'll resume my usual schedule for next week. Rah!!

ALSO: Review responses...well, changed something in its programming, and I can't access some of the profiles or email addresses. So I'll try again, but I don't know if I will be granted access to all of them. So if there is no response by tomorrow...sorry, you're profile wouldn't show. So maybe this time, if you want me to respond to a review...leave me an email addy. Otherwise...I just don't know.

Hope you enjoyed! Til next week...Syrinx


	31. Across the Well

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 30 Across the Well

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Aishi managed another dodge of one of her weapons then stilled completely. A disk sliced into his arm, and he felt something burning at his chest. But it wouldn't matter soon.

Kagome was extremely confused as to why he stopped dodging her attacks. Knowing that someone as proud as he would not admit defeat so easily, she scanned his appearance to try to figure out what he was planning.

'What? He has no feet!' Kagome mentally shrieked.

Where his feet and calves had been, nothing but flames remained, and the flames were moving up his body rather quickly.

'He's changing.' Kagome established as the fire met his waist.

Now she was put into a dilemma. It would be dishonorable to attack him when he's so vulnerable, but she wasn't sure if she could keep him trapped as pure flame. Her attacks stilled but changed.

Knowing the disks would inflict no damage to fire, she changed it to purity. She brought her spheres into a tighter fence around him as his transformation completed.

Two silver holes remained in place for his eyes, and a black crescent formed an eerie smile. Otherwise, nothing but a youkai-shaped pillar of fire remained.

Aishi released a blast of his youki to distract the girl and her attacks. Kagome only saw an explosion in her cage. Flames licked through her cage, but her spheres stayed mostly intact.

He managed to destroy a few of them, and mentally gave the girl credit for staying fairly focused. But there where several directly in front of him that he had destroyed. 'That was enough to put an end to this game.' He smirked as he flew towards her, escaping his prison.

Seeing the shock of fire soaring towards her, Kagome quickly threw up a shield to protect herself. The force of Aishi's impact to her shield sent her falling to the ground, but she maintained her protection.

Acting out of habit she curled slightly on impact, allowing herself to roll. It made for a less painful meeting with the ground, and made for a nice counter-attack. She gathered her energy around her, and released it as she pushed the barrier away from her when she rocked back toward her front.

It worked. Aishi, still outside her shield attempting to break it, was sent flying backwards with the released shield. The barrier shattered as Aishi collided with a tree. Flames scattered into the leaves of the canopy, but a crouching figure was seen on a branch.

Aishi casually jumped down and walked a few steps towards her. "You should just give up now, girl. You cannot harm fire." A scratchy rendition of Aishi's voice splayed across all ears.

"Physically no, but your fire is still powered by your demonic energy which means my miko power should do just fine to deter you." Kagome spoke.

She stood up straight with her head held high, waiting for his next attack. But a voice interrupted their scrimmage.

"Aishi, as long as you don't kill her, she can heal herself." Sesshoumaru's voice stopped them in their tracks.

Kagome huffed when she realized what he said. He thought Aishi would defeat her; irritation filled her.

Sesshoumaru almost smirked when he felt her aura spike. He had intentionally antagonized her; he had not done that since their spars in his dojo. He almost missed... 'No.' He cut off where his thoughts were going and continued.

"Kagome, you will heal him if you burn him. I will not allow any delays in my time."

She had a hard time containing herself. The urge to roll her eyes was so great, but she had another focus right now.

Aishi lunged at her. Kagome ducked out of immediate danger, and she slashed her hand, glowing pink, across his torso.

He stumbled back; there was a hole in the flames over his chest. It was healing, but very slowly. He glared at the girl, but smiled when he saw that he was successful as well.

Kagome felt an intense heat on her back, and smelled something burning. She turned her head to look behind her, and a flash of orange past her vision where black should have been. She realized in horror that her hair was on flair.

"Ah, put it out, put it out." She screamed as she started beating at her hair to douse the flames. Nothing worked. She stopped, dropped, and rolled as she was taught in school, but even that did not put an end to the flames.

Aishi started walking towards her. Kagome realized she left herself vulnerable and immediately erected a barrier to protect her struggles with her hair.

The flames where not spreading, not crawling up toward her scalp; they remained torching the tips of her locks, but Kagome did not see this in her panic.

The general began to laugh hysterically at her trauma. Hearing his laughter, Kagome's head snapped up to glare at him.

"You think this is funny?" But she was answered only with laughter. Even Shouron and Sesshoumaru were having troubles holding their silence at her frantic, flapping attempts to suffocate the flames.

But Aishi's laughter stopped when a shield surrounded him. He was lifted off the ground, and the barrier encased him on all sides. He was trapped in a giant pink bubble.

"There, I win." She said quickly then ran over to Shouron. "Put it out, please." She asked frantically.

Shouron looked over to his lord.

"The duel is not over." Sesshoumaru answered with his ever-present monotone, but his eyes twinkled his amusement to those close to him.

Kagome huffed. "Unless he can break that, which is highly unlikely as emotional as I am right now, its over."

"Aishi has control over the flames in your hair, the duel continues." Sesshoumaru countered.

Kagome's eyes widened in realization, but it made sense now, why she couldn't put it out no matter her attempts, why Shouron wouldn't help her, and Aishi's hysterical laughter.

Blue eyes narrowed. The shield holding the first general became smaller. "Still laughing Aishi?" She asked.

The flames in her hair flared and became hotter.

Sesshoumaru nodded to his second general, and Shouron took control over Aishi's fire and ended it.

With a flick of his fingers, the taiyoukai released his acid whip at Aishi's prison. It took two cracks because of Kagome's intense emotions, but with his speed, no one noticed the two lashes as more than one except him.

Aishi's flames appeared weaker for a second because of a shortage of oxygen due to his prison until he reverted back into his humanoid form.

Kagome's hair still smoked a bit, but upon inspection, she realized only a region about an inch from the bottom was ruined.

Both combatants looked to Sesshoumaru.

"Draw." The lord said as the final outcome. "You were both capable of ending the other's life from your positions, but the other would have ended yours as well. This will not happen again." He ended with a finality that none dare argue with.

"No, my lord." Kagome bowed slightly.

"As you wish, my lord." Aishi kept the tension from his voice long enough to answer.

Now that the duel was over, Shouron finally was able to release his laughter. He was amused by Kagome's 'fire dance' and Aishi's partial defeat. Neither participant was happy, but they would get over it. 'It might just take until Kagome's hair grows back out.' He thought, which only made him laugh harder.

Mokuso was stock still, shocked into a stupor. She was amazed at the talent Sesshoumaru held under him; even the human was extremely powerful. She looked to the laughing youkai beside her and wondered at his strength. She questioned his intelligence because of his maniacal laughter, but she had no doubt that he was strong if Sesshoumaru allowed him to be his general.

None had noticed Sesshoumaru disappear into the brush until he came back out with Jaken squawking on about some nonsense Rin did to him while he was away.

"Ack! What is Inuyasha's wench doing here?" Kagome turned and glared at the little green youkai.

But her scathing comment was cut short when a little girl stepped out from behind Sesshoumaru's leg. Big brown eyes looked over at Kagome with curiosity, and the miko couldn't help but break out in a warm smile directed at her.

Rin cautiously walked towards the smiling woman; she looked back at her protector, and he nodded slightly. A brilliant smile flashed across her face, and she ran the rest of the distance to Kagome.

Kagome kneeled down, bringing herself closer to the mysterious girl. To say that she was surprised that Sesshoumaru had a little human girl under his protection was nothing short of a shock, but she easily covered it. "Hello, my name is Kagome. What is your name, sweetie?"

"Rin!" She nodded enthusiastically as she spoke. The half-ponytail on the side of her head bobbed with every nod, and the miko couldn't help but laugh gently at the cute child.

"Its nice to meet you, too, Rin." She giggled as Rin hugged her.

"You will be keeping Rin while I am away. I am sure you will protect her with your life." Sesshoumaru spoke with a forced tone.

Kagome's eyes shot to Sesshoumaru, gold eyes narrowed on her. "I thought I was to fight for you?" She questioned calmly, not wanting to offend the little girl beside her.

"My generals and I are perfectly capable without you, and I will not leave my ward unprotected." He answered her calm tone.

Shouron watched on with interest. His lord had taken up the habit of explaining his actions. This was not something he did; something had changed. He was just not sure what, yet.

Kagome's eyes fell to the ground. She wasn't sure why, but his comments stung. "I thank you, my lord, for your trust." She answered dejectedly.

'Guilt? This Sesshoumaru does not feel guilty.' He tried to convince himself, but a clench in his chest at her defeated tone did spark something. But he would not change his mind, his decision had been made.

"If I may suggest, my lord." Shouron spoke up. Sesshoumaru nodded, and he continued. "Perhaps, Kagome could take Rin to her village. She would be safe there would she not?" He looked over to Kagome.

"Yes. My family would take care of her." She spoke evenly but did not get her hopes up. She knew Sesshoumaru was not one to change his mind easily.

Sesshoumaru thought on this for a moment. He still did not want Kagome involved in this, but if Rin stayed in Kagome's village, he would be able to find out more about it. He would be able to satisfy a curiosity of his. But he was still hesitant.

"She would be safe there?" Sesshoumaru questioned in a flat tone that covered his curiosity.

"Absolutely, there are few dangers in my village compared to this side of the well." Kagome had trouble keeping the hope out of her voice.

"And she would be able to pass through the barrier?" He continued.

"I think I can make her something that would allow her through." Kagome answered.

Sesshoumaru nodded.

A huge smile lit Kagome's face, but when she looked down at the little girl, it vanished. Rin looked a bit troubled.

Kagome knelt by the girl again. "Rin, would you like to go with me to meet my family? I have a little brother that's only a few years older than you. I'm sure you two would be great friends."

Rin perked up a little at her suggestion, but then she looked back at her lord. "Is Lord Sesshoumaru coming with us?" She looked back at Kagome with big, sad, brown eyes.

'Wow, Sesshoumaru's got his hands full.' Kagome thought as she tried to resist the eyes of the little girl. But it was futile, nobody could resist Rin.

She sighed, and looked at Sesshoumaru. She could almost see him smirking at her, but she knew she must be hallucinating. "If you promise no harm will come to anyone, no matter what they try to do, I think I can make you something, too." She said as if she was exhausted.

Sesshoumaru was not about to promise that he would not defend himself, so he kept his silence.

Kagome realized what she just asked. "I will take you, my lord, but realize that no one there has the power to harm someone as strong as you. If you do try to hurt my family or friends, I will stop you." She said in a cheerful voice so as not to alert Rin of the threat her words carried. She took the little girl's hand and began walking towards the well.

Sesshoumaru felt his ire rising at her threat, but began to follow them to the well; the two generals looked at each other in surprise at the girl's bold words.

The well was not far from where they were, so everyone of his generals saw Kagome make a glowing pink bracelet for the little girl from her power.

Kagome turned to Sesshoumaru and smirked; he raised an eyebrow in question. "Would my lord enjoy a pink bracelet, also, or perhaps you would enjoy a more masculine color?" Kagome giggled at the irritation that splayed across his irises.

Instead a yellowish gold, chain-like necklace, that matched his obi, wrapped around his neck. Sesshoumaru casually brought up both arms to pull his hair out from under the link.

"Alright, I guess we're all set." She smiled and took up Rin's hand again. "I hope this works." She mumbled under her breath. If this method worked, she could bring Shippo, Sango, and Miroku over any time she wanted. She thought about those implications... 'Ok, so maybe not Miroku.' She giggled as she saw her mother slapping the ever-amorous monk across the face and calling him 'lude.'

The two near Kagome watched as she flitted in and out of her own thoughts. Rin tugging on her hands pulled her back to reality. "Kagome?"

Kagome smiled down at the little girl and lifted her to sit on the edge of the well, and she followed in actions.

"I'm fine, Rin. Hold on tight now. Sesshoumaru, you may want to wait a few seconds, otherwise you will probably land on top of us."

His eyes widened as her words registered. 'Landed? Perhaps they are in danger.' But the girls were gone before he could catch them, disappearing into a twirl of magic.

He waited a moment before jumping in behind them. Sesshoumaru felt as though he was swimming as the sparkles of the time void caught him.

When it was done, he looked up to see a roof above the well; jumping out effortlessly, he saw Kagome and Rin also standing within the structure that housed the well.

Kagome's face reflected her nervousness as she began to explain. "I have not been completely open with you about this side of the well, Lord Sesshoumaru, and I think it best if I explain some things before we leave here. I didn't want to say this in front of the others, forgive me for stalling this briefing." She hoped her formal demeanor would pacify him enough to listen to her fully.

He nodded.

"First of all, this isn't only a village. It is the same world in which you reside; only I live five centuries later." She paused for him to digest this somewhat, and she continued. "I am not sure if youkai have survived to my time or not. I have never sensed any, so if there are some that remain they stay well hidden. Much has changed, my lord. There are very few things that will harm her here with my mother to keep her out of trouble, so please do not attack anything. I assure you it is safe here." Her eyes pleaded with him to accept her words.

Sesshoumaru was hesitant, but he nodded slightly in response. A breath-taking smile flushed Kagome's features, and his breath caught for a split second.

He had noticed before now that she was an attractive female for her race, but in this instance he was reminded of the fact rather sharply. He immediately tried to fall back on his anger at her actions, but the image of teary blue eyes filled with emotion approaching him slowly before he felt the press of her lips to his was the only thing that came to mind.

Sesshoumaru violently cast the image aside and turned to Kagome who looked at him with concern at his brief absence.

He said nothing, and she smiled slightly with a small nod and turned to open the door to the wellhouse.

"If you can guard your senses, you may want to do so, my lord. Inuyasha almost fainted when he was a hanyou, and I'm sure your senses are much more acute." She warned before sliding the door open.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

A/N: yes, yes I know, its shorter than normal, but I didn't intend to take Sess into the future. Then I couldn't see him allowing Rin to go to a place before he "checked it out." So I wasn't prepared for this little 'excursion.' I was planning to head directly into the scouting sessions evil grin Yes, yes, the strategery (that was intentional!) of more battle tactics is coming up, but unfortunately they have been stalled for a week. I'll update again soon! I hope you liked. Not too much going on here, though, more plot advancement next week, I promise.


	32. Confession

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 31 Confession

As Kagome slid open the door, Sesshoumaru scoffed. The scents from her world were caustic and very sharp in his nose, but he mocked Inuyasha for nearly fainting because of them.

Sesshoumaru stepped out of the wellhouse only to regret his previous thoughts.

Kagome held Rin's hand as she walked towards her house. Hearing a hollow thump behind her, she turned quickly fearing for her lord.

Sesshoumaru was still conscious, but he was leaning back against the wall of the shed, trying to overcome his vertigo. The smells were much worse than he predicted from inside the structure, and instantly, as he walked out of the shelter, he was attacked from all angles by the acidic scents and noises. The attack caught him off guard and he was forced into the wall behind him.

His body reacted violently to the fumes in the future. Smoke and chemicals assaulted his eyes and nose, while the noise pollution was merciless to his sensitive ears.

He felt as if his head was swimming, his eyes watered, and intense stinging plagued the sensitive skin inside his nose. He barely noticed Kagome and Rin's worried expressions before him.

Sesshoumaru felt Kagome's hand wrap around his, and she began tugging him somewhere.

"Come on, Sesshoumaru. Let's get you inside, the scents are more subdued in my house." Kagome said as she hastily tried to pull him towards the shrine.

He began walking at her incessant tugging, but he still could not see past the tears in his eyes. The tears were desperately trying to flush the toxins from the sensitive tissue.

A tug on Kagome's clothes brought her attention to the little girl beside her.

"What is wrong with Lord Sesshoumaru?" Brown eyes pleaded with her to tell her. Rin did not understand why her powerful protector was acting so strangely. The fear and worry caused Kagome's heart to clench.

"He will be fine Rin, we just need to get him inside. The air here is not as clean, and he is not coping with it well." Kagome explained but picked up her pace, rushing to get Sesshoumaru into the safety of her home.

Kagome reached the stairs, and began up them. To her horror, she felt Sesshoumaru stumble beside her. She quickly turned and tried to steady him, but he was too heavy.

He tried to catch his balance, but found the dizziness caused by the air here was still affecting his balance. Sesshoumaru heard Kagome's gasp, and felt her hands on his shoulders trying to reestablish his balance. But he still felt the air rushing by his face, signaling his fall.

Expecting the hard contact of the strange material beneath his feet, he was strangely surprised when his landing was soft, as if collapsing onto his futon.

Hearing a groan underneath him seconds after the fall, he realized that he landed on Kagome. Sesshoumaru immediately tried to stand up to relieve her of the pressure of his weight, but his eyesight was still partially blurred. It took quite some effort to regain his feet, as he blinked profusely to see to the miko.

Kagome was throbbing. She had dived in front of Sesshoumaru so he wouldn't hit the concrete steps, but she ended up landing with stairs clashing with her spine and colliding with her skull. She lay there for a moment, trying to breathe.

It hurt. Everything hurt.

Sesshoumaru blinked again, wondering if he was delusional. But when Rin gasped, he knew he wasn't.

"Kagome's glowing!" Rin exclaimed excitedly. Her worry for her lord and the nice lady in front of her momentarily disappeared with the strange glow Kagome radiated.

Sesshoumaru's thoughts railed. 'She threw herself in front of me. Why? I wouldn't have been harmed by such a trivial fall, but she got hurt in the process. Stupid girl.' But he couldn't help but feel warmth at her sacrifice.

She groaned. She wasn't sure what Rin was talking about, but she really didn't feel like thinking at the moment. She slowly rose to her feet and rubbed the back of her head, wondering why it didn't hurt now. 'I expected to feel that fall for at least a week.' She shrugged and continued with her plans.

She grabbed his hand again and began marching up the steps again. "Watch your step, Sesshoumaru." She warned him rather uselessly.

Only the bottom portion of his vision was blurred now, but he allowed Kagome to guide him. The soft skin of her hand was warm and felt pleasant against his.

They reached the top of the stairs after what felt like hours only to be assaulted by a rambunctious boy upon arrival at the house.

His senses cleared greatly as the outside disturbances were shut out.

"Kagome! You're back." Souta yelled as he paused his video game and hopped off the floor. "Mom! Kagome is home!" The alarm was sounded.

Sesshoumaru winced as his already sensitive ears felt like they would bleed at his pitch.

Souta stopped in front of Sesshoumaru. He took in his appearance and disposition then he saw that he and Kagome were still holding hands. A lecherous smile crossed his face, and Kagome quirked a brow at his weird behavior.

His sister followed his gaze to see her hand linked with the taiyoukai's elegant fingers. She blushed and quickly released him.

Sesshoumaru watched the silent display between siblings, and found Kagome's behavior amusing. His amusement faded when she ripped her hand from his as if she had been burned.

"Inuyasha isn't bringing that other chick this time, is he? She wasn't very fun." Souta changed the subject quickly to refute the temptation of embarrassing his sister.

Kagome shook her head. "He's not coming to my knowledge. Souta, this is Lord Sesshoumaru. My lord, this is my brother Souta."

"You're a lord? Cool." Souta said with dropped jaw. Sesshoumaru had to stop himself from rolling his eyes.

Kagome's mother and grandfather came down the stairs at this time, but she was distracted.

Something brushed against Kagome; she turned to she Rin hiding behind her lord. "Rin, do you want to meet my brother?"

A smile crossed the little girl's face as she nodded enthusiastically. Souta watched as a little girl in a bright kimono stepped out from hiding.

"Rin, I'd like you to meet my brother Souta." Souta caught a glare from his sister and immediately knew to be on his best behavior.

The manners taught to him by his mother and usually forgotten kicked in and he bowed to the girl. Rin giggled at him.

Kagome's mother cast her a warm smile. "Welcome home, honey. Are you and your guests staying for dinner?"

A nervous glance was cast to her grandfather who stood very tense at the bottom of the staircase, staring at the demon lord, hand slipped inconspicuously into his haori. Kagome paniced.

"Grandfather!" She said a bit too excitedly and high pitched; Sesshoumaru had to refrain from wincing. The addressed jumped and looked at his granddaughter, effectively distracted. "I'd like you to meet my friend, Lord Sesshoumaru and his ward Rin." She stressed the word 'friend' for all she was worth, hoping against hope his hand would release the ofudas she knew he was holding.

Mrs. Higurashi placed a hand on her father's shoulder, and both hands became visible. Sesshoumaru had closely watched the elder man, but did not sense a threat from him. He had little spiritual power from what he had gleaned. But his guard was never slack.

Kagome smiled to her mother. "I need to talk to you and grandfather. Souta, would you mind showing Rin the meadow beside the shrine?"

Souta sulked a bit. "But what about my game?" He cast a longing glance to the television.

She sighed. "You wouldn't be able to play it anyways because we'd be in here talking. Unless you would rather stay in here and listen to our discussion." Kagome said with a grin.

"No thanks. Come on, Rin. Let's go play outside." With that the two children scurried out the door.

Sesshoumaru watched them leave and turned to Kagome. She read his silent inquiry. "They will be fine outside alone. You have my word, milord." Kagome placated.

He nodded and turned back to her guardians.

"Mom, grandpa, Lord Sesshoumaru, his generals, and I have to go on a journey to regain his title. It was my fault he lost it, and I promised to help retrieve his lands. There is one drawback; Rin will be in danger. We cannot properly protect her, and Lord Sesshoumaru does not trust any besides those traveling with him to protect her. Would it be alright if Rin stayed here while we were gone? I know that she would be well taken care of here." Kagome added the last line to attempt comfort to the demon lord beside her.

"Of course, dear. We'd love to keep, Rin. It would be no problem at all." Mrs. Higurashi said warmly.

Sesshoumaru took this time to speak his piece. "I have not consented to this arrangement. I will explore this place before making my decision." He declared with no room for argument.

Grandfather Higurashi snorted, but both females knew that the harsh statement exhibited the care he took in protecting the child.

"That is to be expected, Lord Sesshoumaru. I'm sure my daughter would be more than happy to escort you wherever you wish." She spoke softly but with dignity.

Kagome nodded. "Yes, milord." She answered thanking her mother silently for broaching the sensitive subject of whether or not he could go alone. In her opinion, most definitely not.

"I do not require an escort." Sesshoumaru spoke.

"Please allow me to, Lord Sesshoumaru. There are many sights I would like to show you, and I'm sure you would wish explanations of certain things." Crossing her fingers, Kagome hoped he would accept her company.

He nodded. Huge smiles conquered two feminine faces.

Kagome's mother reasserted her previous question. "Would you like to stay for dinner? It is almost ready, and then you two can scour the lands for Lord Sesshoumaru's approval.

Refusal could be considered extremely rude, so the youkai consented, and thus it was agreed. Souta and Rin were brought in for dinner, and soon Kagome and Sesshoumaru were walking through the door to explore.

He visibly shuddered with the renewed onslaught of sensory offenses. Kagome saw his reaction.

"I apologize for your discomfort, Sesshoumaru." She said tentatively.

He said nothing and began walking away from her. Kagome jogged to catch up.

"Umm, Lord Sesshoumaru?" He stopped signaling his attention. "Well, its not exactly legal to carry swords in the city."

"I will not relinquish my weapons." The taiyoukai said authoritatively.

"Yes, I figured as much. Do you suppose...well, forgive me if this is presumptuous, milord, but I thought the best way to see my time without causing trouble would be an aerial tour." She spoke with her head bowed slightly.

He was silent.

"It is just that, you would not blend in well, and there would be people who tried to take your swords because of the laws broken by their presence. Plus, from the sky, you would have a better view of the happenings below." Kagome quickly reasoned with him.

"Acceptable." He finally spoke to Kagome's relief.

The sun had set, and there was only the vaguest hint of pink still cresting the surrounding hills. Twilight ruled as the lights of the city on the horizon twinkled to life with the coming of night.

She was close enough for him to summon his cloud under both of them, but he did not. Sesshoumaru was unaware of what possessed him, but he offered his hand to Kagome before his youki formed below them.

She took his offered hand and felt her feet lifted from the ground. The cloud below her was solid, but her balance was still thrown off slightly. Sesshoumaru's hand steadied her, and she looked up to him.

Their eyes met, and she nodded signaling she was ready. They lifted into the air, and headed towards what Sesshoumaru could only describe as thousands of campfires in the distance.

(A/N: I know there are discrepancies between the manga and anime as to the color of the youki cloud. For ease of me, the cloud, in this case, is white. It'll blend in better, so no crazies trying to shoot them down or anything.)

His senses still burned, but he had become somewhat accustomed to it by now.

Kagome watched him from the corner of her eye. She tried to gauge his reaction to the sights passing below them, but he remained stone. The only way she knew he was paying close attention was the erratic movement of his eyes, quickly assessing and assimilating one thing before moving to the next.

Figuring this was going to be a long trip, Kagome took a deep breath and decided to settle in for the long haul. She let the tension slide from the muscles in her back and shoulders and turned away from the calculating demon.

The city was breathtaking from the air. Soft moonlight clashed with the bright colored lights on the streets below. People casually walked to and fro, making their way to their homes. A parked passed below, and she saw couples holding hands enjoying each other's company. All in all, it was very relaxing.

This made her stop and think for a moment. Kagome was in no means scared of heights, but she shouldn't have been easy with this distance from the ground. Humans weren't meant to fly, and survival instincts should not have allowed her this extreme comfort.

She looked down to her hand, still linked to Sesshoumaru's. Was that it? Was that the reason she was allowed to fell relaxed in this position? There was really no other explanation, but Kagome felt a little shocked by this new information.

Did she really trust Sesshoumaru to this extent? She trusted him to keep her from falling to her death, or if falling, that he would catch her? If she didn't there would still be tension in her muscles, her senses on alert for any signs of turbulence.

But that wasn't true, so she must. When did this happen? Why did this happen? He didn't protect her when in battle, but in truth, she would have been severely irritated if he had not trusted her to protect herself. But he had cared for her other times. Both times when she was on the brink of death, he was beside her. He acted as the mentor, coaching her through the after effects of her power; he lent her strength when she overcame the lethal poison.

And she had risked everything they had built between them to save him from death at the hands of their enemies.

Yes, it was obvious, even to herself, that Kagome felt very close to Sesshoumaru. And her heart ached at the thought that he might have thrown that away because of her actions.

Tall buildings passed directly below them, and Kagome cast a glance back at Sesshoumaru. He was still absorbing everything around him, but she needed to talk to him.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, would you mind setting us down on one of those buildings. I would like to talk to you." Kagome asked, jerking him from his thoughts.

He gave no response other than a drop in altitude. They landed on one of the tallest buildings, it had very few lights lighting it, but there was enough for Kagome to see her surroundings.

She turned to him when her feet touched the concrete, but he was not facing her. He started towards the edge, still intent on watching his surroundings. But he was stopped when he realized that he was still attached to Kagome by the hand, and she wasn't walking.

He turned to her, and Kagome quickly let go. His hand still held the warmth of hers, but he resumed his walk to the edge. Kagome silently followed.

Sesshoumaru stood as still as the archaic gargoyles of old architecture, but much more aesthetically pleasing than the stone counterparts. He directly faced the street below, but Kagome stood beside him, her back partly to him, hiding her face with her hair.

She didn't know why, but she was suddenly scared to ask him, scared that he harbored deeply etched anger towards her. Or worse, he felt betrayed by her disobedience. Anger would eventually dissipate, but betrayal? Betrayal and the pain and hate spurred from it allowed Kikyou to overcome the mortal boundaries and stay amongst the living. If Sesshoumaru felt the same towards her...

Tears sprang, unwanted, to her eyes. She blinked quickly, trying to rein them back into the ducts from which they jumped.

The tangy scent of salt brushed Sesshoumaru's senses. Although he was still assaulted by the pollution of the city, he knew that the scent was from Kagome beside him. He turned his head to her, but she still did not speak.

"Kagome." He prompted.

She straightened, and he heard her sigh. Silence held for a span of time, but patience is something a stoic must have.

"Sesshoumaru, do you feel I betrayed you?" She asked solidly, thankful that her voice hadn't cracked.

The question caught him off guard. He wasn't expecting this discussion, yet, at least not until he had time to gather and sort his thoughts. But, then again, he had been avoiding most of those thoughts.

Not sure on his own position, he decided it best to answer with strict facts. "You disobeyed me."

His flat tone pierced her like a sword. He sounded so harsh, uncaring, indifferent. A tear escaped, and drifted down her cheek.

Kagome nodded in response to his statement. It hurt, but it was true. "Do you hate me for it?" She asked in a whisper. She couldn't put enough energy into the question to raise the volume because of her fear.

His eyes widened, but she was not facing him to see. He was angry for a time, there was a twinge of betrayal with her deceit, but he never felt hate towards her. He did not allow himself to hate any one.

To hate is to give the subject of that hate power over you, and a lord of his status gave no one that power. But hate towards her, he couldn't comprehend hating someone as pure as Kagome.

But he knew only answering her question would not calm her fears of his feelings toward her. He was unsure why he wished her ease of him, but he did.

"I do not dislike you if that is what you wish to know."

Kagome smiled a small smile.

"But your deceit was not appreciated." He continued, and Kagome hung her head.

Visions of the battle flashed through her mind, of the feelings that crushed her when she was on the verge of death. The certainty she held of loving the demon behind her mercilessly revisited her.

She had done everything in her power to forget, to convince herself that those feelings were spurred by adrenaline and the fear of death, of dying alone and unloved. And she had done a very good job of that thus far, but the traitorous feelings were allowed free with the abundant emotions and doubt she was experiencing right now. When it rains, it pours.

"I..." Her voice cracked, so she paused and started again. "I could not watch you die. Deceit was not my intention, but during...with the...I realized what I had to do." She stuttered trying not to mention the kiss.

Sesshoumaru listened as she avoided what he had tried not to think of many times. But it was rather useless. He remembered the overwhelming need to protect her, he utter defeat he felt when he realized he couldn't, the almost desperate plea for her to leave and live. The still vivid feel of her in his arms and the desire to have her back there were not things that he had ever experienced before. Strong feelings for this girl in front of him bubbled beneath the surface, but he had yet to decide what they were, or what to do with them.

Kagome broke the silence that held Sesshoumaru to his thoughts. "If you wish me to apologize for my actions, I cannot. I am not sorry that you live, that you are here before me now. But I do regret that I caused you to question me." She paused, unsure whether she should continue, but she didn't know if she would get another opportunity to talk to him privately. "I will not try to convince you of my opinion, but I do wish to tell you that...my request was not meant to deceive. Truly, it was a dying wish."

She turned completely away from him with her confession; it was not a confession of love, nor was it one of lust. She wasn't exactly sure what feelings she harbored within her, but on the basest level, it was a confession of attraction.

Kagome wasn't ashamed of her attraction to the taiyoukai; she was well aware that most girls would drool over him, but that did not mean she wanted anything more than friendship. But if that was the case, why did she have an intense fear of rejection right now?

His distaste for all things human may have caused her fear, Kagome did not wish to hear how disgusted he was with the new information. She did not want to know anything about his contempt for her humanity. Kagome said what she needed to, and now she wished she was far, far away from him.

But her wish was not granted; she was forced to stand there, back facing Sesshoumaru in the unbearable silence that followed.

Sesshoumaru was at a loss after her words; they left so many things up in the air. Her wish could have signified many things, but none of them were things he was ready to ponder immediately.

Spontaneity was always a bad thing, but looking down at her trembling figure, she seemed so small, breakable. Even words could rend her at the seams; he tried to think of something to pacify her. The need to protect her still high, he decided on the proper words.

But she beat him to it. "Have you decided on our course of actions for reclaiming you lands, milord?" Kagome changed the subject to protect her sanity, and she was proud that her voice sounded as solid as it did. But the pride was only a secondary comfort which gave way again to a hollow feeling at his silence.

Sesshoumaru felt a cold hand grasping at his chest with her words. They meant that he was too late; he wouldn't be allowed to comment on her confession now. And she would continue to feel discomfort when near him, pain at her words and his inaction.

'But what action could have been taken?' He thought with a drained sigh.

In a very uncharacteristic move, Kagome heard the sigh of a world weary creature behind her.

"I have yet to discuss anything with my generals, and nothing occurs without notifying them, but I have considered my options and am fairly certain of future actions." He regained his stoic façade.

Kagome was disturbed at his answer. Did he not trust her with his plans? Or did he not think she was capable of helping? Either way, she did not like his answer. "What of the Eastern Lord's request?" She prodded.

"An alliance with the Eastern Lord would be advantageous in the distant future, but it is more of a burden currently."

"He could be useful as a distraction, my lord." She offered silently.

Sesshoumaru had also thought of this, but there was one drawback. "My soldiers would be vulnerable to many attacks en route to the Eastern lands. There are many spies utilized by various youkai, insects, rodents, birds. If the Southern Lands are hostile, of that there is no doubt, my troops would have to pass through the Northern Lands, of which we are still unsure."

His point had never been considered by Kagome, and she was stumped for a moment. 'Illusionary cover wouldn't work, animals can sense predators; plus armed with weapons, silent movement is not easy over great distances. So another form of cover would have to be utilized. If only...that's it.' Kagome turned to face him, smiling. She still felt raw and hollow, but he did not have to know this.

"We can travel under the guise of the weather." Kagome shone.

Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed for a second until he remembered Shouron's capabilities. "Feasible." He spoke and turned back towards the sights below him digesting the new alternative.

Visibility would be cut drastically, and animals would take cover in burrows or caves under severe enough conditions. Only a few of the most dedicated spies would notice the removal of the reserve of Western soldiers, and the weather would prevent them from reporting to their masters quick enough to organize an attack. But his enemies would be alerted of the new position in the Eastern Lands, and the diversion would be complete.

The main drawback was Shouron's strength. It would be desperately low upon arrival at the Eastern estate. He would need to be guarded by those of unquestionable loyalty, which was not the most abundant quality currently.

His thoughts re-assessed his options.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, may I ask you of your thoughts?" Kagome ventured.

He looked at her. No one had ever dared ask him such a personal question, but she had, on many occasions, proven her intelligence in strategy.

"Shouron would need heavy and loyal protection as the concentration to hold a powerful storm over several days would severely sap his strength. I had intended to go into my lands with Aishi, but he may need to stay with Shouron, now."

"What about me? Where am I to be placed?" Kagome asked curiously.

"You are to stay with Rin." He knew this would not be an arrangement she would appreciate, but he did not want to endanger her. Despite his perceived deceit, she was still the closest thing to a friend that he had ever acknowledged.

"No, Rin is unreachable here, perfectly safe." Kagome countered.

"Regardless, you will stay." Sesshoumaru issued his command.

"Why do you refuse to allow me to help?" Kagome demanded.

He was silent, not willing to disclose his desire for her protection, her safety.

"There may be a need for me; I will not stand by when I am capable of helping." Kagome informed him.

"You will stay." He reiterated.

"I will not." Kagome contradicted.

He turned to fully face her. Fire burned her through his eyes, but she would not back down. "I can go with Shouron. If the troops are not loyal, I can erect a barrier and get Shouron and me out by the same method used in the coup. And I was told that the Eastern Lord was injured; I can heal him if he has not already." Kagome offered.

Sesshoumaru was no fool. He knew that Kagome's aid would be valuable, but he still didn't want her life endangered. There seemed to be no other choice, though.

"Please, Lord Sesshoumaru." Kagome asked quietly. "Let me help."

He looked at her and nodded slightly.

"Thank you." She whispered.

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A/N: Yes, yes. I know...I'm late, and I'm a horrible author for mot keeping my promise of updating by Sunday. I have no excuse except poor time-management skills on my part. Forgive me. Review responses will have to be delayed once again...sorry, but it takes me about three hours to respond to everyone. You guys are awesome and I LOVE doing it, but school is evil, and I can't right now. sigh

BUT hey, I've only missed my date twice! Out of 31/32 (depending on whose count) chapters, that's pretty dang good. That means, if this was a school assignment (besides the fact that I would proofread 3 times) this would be an A, so there! :-P grins

I'll update again next weekend!


	33. Falling

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 32 Falling

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Kagome once again turned her back to the demon lord and gazed out over the city. From her vantage on the skyscraper's roof, she felt she could see everything. But her watch was disturbed. She could feel Sesshoumaru's eyes boring into her back; she had felt his eyes ever since her confession and it left her raw.

Her emotions were exposed and her soul tormented by his intrusive eyes, but she refused to turn and face those golden spies. Kagome didn't know what she would see in them.

She had learned to read some emotions through his eyes, but those few times were probably only when he allowed it. When he truly wished her ignorant of his emotions, he seemed to have little trouble masking them. But now? What would she see now? The mask? She doubted it; she would actually welcome it.

Right now, the only thing she could think of ruling his eyes was his condescending thoughts about her and her confession. She feared his idea of her being the filth that he considered all of humanity when she had, at one time, considered him a friend and thought his feelings paralleled her own.

That had to be what he was thinking, right? Why else would he stay silent at such a sincere emotion from someone close to him? There was no other explanation to her; no other reason for his actions other than a pure disgust felt for her.

She blinked several times in attempt to prevent tears from reappearing. Kagome refused to show him how much it hurt for him to consider her in that manner. He would only see her as weak; another thing he despised about her race.

Kagome refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

She summoned every happy memory she could think of and banished all thoughts of the demon behind her. A sickeningly sweet smile slithered across her face, and she turned to Sesshoumaru.

"I know you must have some questions about what you've seen. Do you wish to ask me here, or would you prefer to resume your flight?" She asked as a waitress would feign concern over a customer with an empty glass.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened at her sudden change. He had been watching her every shift, trying to discern her thoughts. He pondered the right course of action, and was deciding when it would be best to try to appease the pain he had obviously caused her.

When did his concern for the feelings of an insignificant human evolve? He could not place the time, but he knew that the scent of her tears was more disturbing than the toxins surrounding him. He knew it unsettled him to know that she was in pain. And he felt grief that he was the one that spurred that pain.

But before he could attempt to pacify the anguish radiating through her sloughing posture, cracking voice, and impending tears, she again broke his concentration.

Her posture went uncomfortably stiff, and her head took an arrogant position; Kagome turned with a radiant smile and cheery eyes and asked him a petty question. It was an obvious attempt to distract him from everything just spoken.

"Inconsequential. You are hiding from me." He asked with little inflection.

Kagome's eyes shadowed for a second before she smiled even bigger and replying. "Why would I hide from you?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed at her. "You expect me to believe your previous statements when you deceive me now?" His voice was harsh.

Her smile melted from her face, and her eyes became dull and hollow. As if struck by lightning, she snapped out of her melancholy and blue eyes sharpened on his. "Mine is only a temporary mask. You wear a permanent one, Lord Sesshoumaru. Should I believe, then, that you deceive me constantly?" Usually her voice carried a sweet melody, but now only the hard edge of a threat was heard in her tone.

Kagome's earlier feelings drastically fled, and in their place remained anger. It burned through her at his comment, and she could do nothing but vent her frustration on the youkai, after all, he was the cause. Why not take it out on him?

Eyes flared, shoulders tensed, and the muscles in her neck bulged slightly with the strain of keeping her anger in check. She was trying to look so fierce in the face of the demon, but in his eyes, she looked similar to a kitten that had just gotten tossed into a pool of cold water.

He knew she was able to physically hurt him with some of her attacks, but he could never honestly admit she would be a threat to his life. Even if she did somehow manage to pin him in a lethal position, he doubted she could kill him.

And now? Now she was attempting to challenge him, attempting to intimidate him, and he found her very amusing. He decided to see if she was capable of challenging him.

"Is that a challenge?" His voice reflected none of his amusement.

Her neck pulled back, her head tilted to the side, and one eyebrow furrowed in confusion. "Huh?"

Her anger vanished and in its place stood vast confusion. Here she was venting her rage on him; turning his accusation back onto him. And yet, he changed the subject entirely with one sentence.

Her face was too much. She went from angry kitten to dazed puppy.

For the first time he could ever recall, Sesshoumaru let his emotions get the better of him, and he laughed. Its not like he didn't try to contain them, but her expressions, her body language, everything about her made his control more slack than he could ever recall.

It wasn't a huge exhale of emotion, only a slight rumble of a chuckle escaped his lips, but to Kagome, it shook her foundations like an earthquake.

He was laughing; she was falling apart in front of him. And he laughed. Her hands shook; shock set in. Everything she had thought about his feelings towards her at this time were true. He saw her weakness through her guise and took sadistic pleasure in it.

Kagome took a step away from him. She felt naked, exposed in a most brutal way to those cold, calculating eyes that were burned into her memory.

Sesshoumaru opened his eyes; he had not even been aware that he had closed them. When he did, his laughter abruptly stopped.

She stood staring up at him in horror, lips parted, eyes moist, hands shaking violently. All of her challenge was gone, and she took a step backwards, away from him.

Her voice was so quiet, even his exceptional hearing, he struggled to hear and comprehend her words.

"You don't care at all." Her head shook as in denial as she tried to escape the pull of his eyes.

The wind whipped her soft voice across him, and it was the same effect of her slapping him.

This was not what he expected; how had things gone so wrong so quickly? But his thoughts were interrupted when he saw her take another step backwards.

Her surroundings had been completely forgotten in favor of escaping the callous monster in front of her. But when she felt only the ball of her foot hit solid ground behind her, reality snapped back in place. She was on the roof of a skyscraper, and her balance was diminishing.

Wind whipped around her, and she realized she was falling.

Sesshoumaru stood as if frozen, watching her fall over the edge of the building. Panic, fear, no...not fear, shear terror overwhelmed him. Before even thinking of the consequences, he leapt off the edge after her.

Kagome watched as the air pressure surrounding her lifted her unknown tears into the air. They seamed to float as she fell. It was peaceful in a way, the wind wrapping around her, soothing her; she couldn't even force herself to scream. It didn't matter that she couldn't breathe. Air was all around her, but she couldn't breathe in, whether it was the rapid pass of air as she fell, the low pressure around her, or maybe she just didn't have the will to breathe in. Whatever it was, she found herself in a drowsy haze.

The lights of the city below her reflected off her tears, now coming faster. The combination of sensations mesmerized her. She was in a trance as she fell to her death, until a white form dove over the edge she fell from.

"Sesshoumaru." She whispered as she closed her eyes. 'Maybe he does care.' She thought as she succumbed to the sleep that hovered at the edge of consciousness.

The demon lord saw her below him, and he could honestly say that he had never seen a more beautiful sight in his extended life. 'Striking,' was the only way to describe her. Onyx hair floated around her, waving to him, beckoning him. Unfocused blue eyes fluttered and shined as prismatic crystals rose from their depths. Her slender arms were extended towards him, fingers curled slightly with light reflecting from her nails. She had such a peaceful look on her face, not terrified as most would, like she was content with her life thus far. Moist pink lips were positioned in a serene smile.

He almost gasped at the vision. Sesshoumaru tried to memorize every detail as she fell, never wanting the image to fade.

He felt her tears splash against his face as his greater weight allowed him to gain on the falling angel in front of him. His hearing allowed him to hear her whisper his name, and something gripped him inside almost violently.

His quick descent allowed him to catch up with her after what seemed like eternity to him. The ground was closing quickly. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and brought her body to his chest. After securing her to him, one hand rose and tucked her head to his neck for her protection from the impending impact.

Tucking his head, he flipped in the air so as to land feet first. His youkai abilities allowed him to slow his drop, but with the height from which they had jumped, even he was somewhat weary of the landing.

He landed gracefully, as always; with his abrupt stop, he felt the bones in his lower legs fracture, cracking up the shaft. But the shattered concrete below his feet was in much worse condition than him.

Sesshoumaru could felt the bones split upon landing, but he knew it was not a major injury. His powerful muscles would hold the weakened bones together until he was capable of allowing the time to heal properly.

He let Kagome's head dip backwards so he could peer down at her face. She was unconscious.

"Kagome." He tried to rouse her with her name, but she only stirred.

He shifted her body to press fully against his, cradled her neck in his hand, and tried again.

She was limp in his arms. His eyes shifted to his surroundings. There were two people openly gawking at them and a few others trying to be discrete in their observations.

Sliding one arm under her legs, he walked into a dark alley until he could no longer feel any eyes on him. Wordlessly, he called his cloud to him again, and started back towards her home.

Sesshoumaru could feel her heartbeat strengthening, and her breathing became shallower. She was waking.

Kagome came into consciousness feeling strong arms around her back and under her legs. Her check was against something cold and firm. Fluttering her eyes open, she saw Sesshoumaru carrying her. His head was characteristically high, but his eyes were focused on her.

'Maybe he does care.' Kagome's thought echoed earlier sentiments before she fainted earlier.

They just watched each other, trying to read the thoughts of the other, trying to pierce the soul. Moments of silence passed as they drowned in each other. But a gust of wind brought Kagome out of the trance.

Sesshoumaru felt her body stiffen and watched her eyes slide to the side. When no ground was found under his feet, her eyes closed tightly and her fingernails dug into his flesh.

"Calm yourself, Kagome. I will not let you fall again." He spoke quietly as if his shame was a secret just between the two of them. He was ashamed that there was trust lost between them, ashamed that he had to reassure her of his support.

But there was another feeling present. It was nothing describable, but it felt good, nice. He liked reassuring her, and, though he didn't enjoy her pain, soothing her, calming her with his presence and words touched him in a way nothing had ever done.

The tension slipped from her frame, and she melted against him once again. Now he almost wished he had let her convince him to remove his weapons and armor. He wanted to know how she fit against him when he held her this way.

That treacherous thought made him tense. Never had his thoughts taken him be surprise, but the path that thought was taking...when had he begun to see her in that manner? Did he see her in that manner? 'Obviously, if the idea came unbidden and unprovoked.'

Had he suppressed more than just a friendly feeling towards the woman in his arms? It would explain why he was so protective of her.

Kagome felt him tense. She sought his eyes for an explanation but only found them vacant. He had become introverted, delving into his mind and thoughts, and they seemed to be somewhat troubling if his creased brow was any indication.

He tensed again, and his eyes widened with realization. Gold was suddenly focused on her, and Kagome felt wary of him. Insecure all of a sudden, she realized that she was still in his arms.

Her lord was carrying her, and she no longer needed his assistance. She wondered if that was what troubled him. A human was pressed against him. Was that what bothered him so? It didn't sound right to her thinking, but she still needed to rectify the situation.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, I can stand on my own if you wish." She tried to force firmness into her voice, but for some reason, it only came out as a whisper, another secret to hold between them.

A brief glance at his surroundings reassured his thoughts that they were still quite a ways from her home, but they were safely out of the city limits. Sesshoumaru allowed his altitude to drop, and soon landed in a quiet area several miles from the glaring lights.

Kagome looked around as they landed. 'Why would he choose a park?' She questioned mentally. He lowered her legs to the ground but kept a firm hold onto her until both were assured of her balance.

Her eyes expressed her gratitude, and he nodded to her in confirmation. Sesshoumaru walked a few paces and sat himself down at the base of a nearby tree. His legs were extended in front of him to allow his fractured bones time to seal themselves.

Looking at him right now brought her pain. Why? She didn't know; quite frankly, she felt as dumb as any person could be. Everything that had happened since entering her time came crashing back to her, and she felt Sesshoumaru must be completely appalled with her.

She led the practically blind Sesshoumaru to a staircase without warning, she manipulated him into a nighttime flight, then, when he remained silent at her confession, she threw herself off the top of a building. Granted she didn't purposely fall, but she doubted he knew that. With all the events that happened, Kagome thought she was acting like a psychotic ex-girlfriend hell bent on revenge. Again, nothing was intentional, but again, he probably didn't know that.

Kagome tore her eyes from him as walked towards a swing set. She could feel his eyes on her, but she didn't want to think about it. Wondering what he thought about her was what got her into trouble in the first place.

She was tired. Emotions had wreaked havoc on her in an extremely short span of time, and she was anything but comfortable with the demon a few yards from her. Kagome sent a cautious glance to him, and confirmed her suspicions.

He was still following her with his eyes. She was about to start swinging, hoping the motion would either force him to stop watching her or make him dizzy, but the sound of his voice stopped her.

"You were wrong." The tone was strong and it echoed through the air around them.

Kagome blinked a few times. She really wasn't sure what he was talking about; she opened her mouth to ask, but he was speaking again.

"Before you fell, your words were false." He clarified.

Her eyes widened when she realized of what he was speaking. Then what he said made sense. A smile tapered her lips as she began to swing her legs underneath her and lean back in the swing.

'He does care.' She thought contentedly.

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A/N: Short, yes I know...but I HATE conversational dialogue, and I don't think I'm very good at it. So, this chapter ends now! Plus, I want Sess to stew a bit, we'll stick a fork in him later. Two chapters posted...so what are you still reading this note for? GO!!


	34. The Effects of Laughter

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 33 The Effects of Laughter

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Sesshoumaru hated it. He hated leaving Rin in another time; he hated Kagome coming back with him where she would be in danger.

But he refused to tell Kagome why he was so adamant about her staying, and it was because of this that she refused to be left behind. It was why she now sat in that tiny hut with her friends instead of staying to protect Rin.

He had to admit, he really hadn't sensed any dangers in any near proximity to the shrine; there were threats in the city, but he was forced to realize that Kagome's time was much safer for humans than his age. Her mother, he could tell, was a very loving woman who would take exceptional care of his ward, as if Rin was her own child. And Rin seemed to be happy there.

But he still didn't have to like it.

He heard an indignant cry and the resounding resonance of flesh hitting flesh followed closely by the twinkle of Kagome's laughter. He saw the taijiya storm out of the hut in a huff.

Sesshoumaru was growing impatient. Aishi was taking quite a while with his task. The taiyoukai released something similar to a sigh.

He was wronging his first general now. Aishi had done nothing inefficiently since he had come into his service; Sesshoumaru knew it was his impatience which was responsible for drawing out the seconds, making them feel like hours.

Shouron was in the hut with Kagome and his new friend the kitsune.

He sniffed the air out of habit and almost groaned at the scent nearing him. Why did Inuyasha choose now to bother him? He was already nearing the end of his patience as it was, the lord did not need his whelp of a sibling bothering him.

Why couldn't he have just stayed with his wench in the river? The two had quietly slipped away when the commotion of Kagome's return had settled into a low rumble.

"I don't know what happened, but I have a feeling its your fault." Inuyasha's gruff voice reached his ears as he saw the former hanyou drop from the trees near his chosen seat.

Sesshoumaru didn't gratify him with an answer, but he did look over at Inuyasha. This was much more than he usually graced the idiot with.

"What did you do to her?" Inuyasha persisted.

"I did nothing." He answered.

Inuyasha would have thought he was lying, but a lord would never lower himself to lie in such a manner. And it was the absolute truth. Sesshoumaru did nothing, said nothing, and because of that Kagome had been crushed.

She was no longer obviously uncomfortable around him, but there was a shadow under her eyes. Some kind of confirmation was wanted, needed from him, and he did not give it. And it had almost resulted in Kagome falling to her death.

He reaffirmed her later with words as well as actions, but the damage had been done to both of them. Kagome had been so intensely terrified of him that it had caused her to step off the edge of a mountainous building.

Neither would ever forget that.

But that didn't mean he couldn't try. Sesshoumaru and Kagome had both dived back into their quest. Both longing for something to occupy their minds. Busy minds would not allow painful thoughts of each other, would not allow unstable emotions and emblazoned memories.

So immediately upon reaching the shrine, both had said quick but polite farewells and departed for the well.

Kagome sought refuge in the familiar; surrounded by the taijiya, monk, two priestesses, and three youkai (Shouron was added) she exchanged partial stories and listened eagerly to news. She renewed the bonds of love between her and her kit and watched lovingly as Sango and Miroku flirted discretely.

Sesshoumaru had driven into his plans. He sent Aishi back to the Western Lands. He was to notify those soldiers he considered to be of sincere loyalty of a meeting place and time. Mokuso, the scout, had been sent, reluctantly, to the Northern Lands to identify their allegiance.

The flame-haired female did not enjoy following the orders of a lord that was not her own, but she knew the information she found would be used to protect her lord. She was the swiftest among the company, so she knew she would be selected for this duty. Mokuso also took it as a silent challenge from Aishi.

The Western Lands were much closer than the Northern Lands. While hers was a straight shot and infiltration job, Aishi needed to travel all over the Western Lands to summon several soldiers. They had a race set in mind, though neither spoke it allowed.

"What do you mean you did nothing?" Inuyasha's voice was more than an irritant at this time, and Sesshoumaru had to restrain himself from physically lashing out at him.

"If you are so insistent to know information that does not involve you, why don't you ask Kagome?" The taiyoukai ground out with a growl.

Inuyasha was no fool; he knew how close Sesshoumaru was to lashing out. But he also saw the signs of something of greater concern. The great and powerful Sesshoumaru had used Kagome's name and was on edge. He had to restrain himself from smirking.

'Maybe Sesshoumaru has become involved with something he doesn't want to be concerned with.' He mocked echoing the barb thrown at him. But Inuyasha did not want his brother to know his suspicions, so he held his silence.

"Feh! I would have to pry the brat off of her before I could talk to her at all." He said with a huff before standing and walking away from the stewing lord.

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Kagome tried not to laugh as she watched Sango trounce out of the hut, but when she looked to the new shade of red decorating the houshi's face, laughter bubbled out of its internal container.

Shouron watched on in amusement as Miroku gained a wistful appearance and said, "The pain was worth it."

Shippou grumbled about perverted monks, and Shouron couldn't help but laugh.

He looked over at Kagome who still wore a smile, but she seemed sad underneath the exterior. She had been that way ever since she returned from the well, but that didn't make sense. Wouldn't visiting her home and family make her happy? She seemed so excited before she left. Maybe leaving Rin was hard for her?

No, that is not right; that wouldn't shadow her face in melancholy.

Demonic eyes catch the slight shift of Kagome's weight. A small movement allows her to look to the door of the hut. She can't see through it, but she can sense the auras; she can tell he's there.

'Sesshoumaru.' Kagome thought with a clench in her chest.

Her head dropped, and she began to stroke her fingers through the kit's mane.

Shouron was a silent witness to all of this, and he now realized where the shadow came from. Something had happened between Kagome and his lord.

Something big enough to have effects on both of them. Something big even to weaken her indomitable spirit.

Kagome sat amongst her friends, but she still couldn't get past her feelings. 'Why? Why am I so hung up on this? Big deal, the arrogant demon didn't deny my cruel thoughts on my race. Inuyasha used to belittle humans constantly. Why is Sesshoumaru's opinion so important to me?'

She felt Shippo nuzzle into her stomach, effectively bringing her out of her state of confusion. Kagome reassured the kitsune with a bright smile, and raised her head to see everyone looking at her. Her smile brightened as she donned an innocent visage.

"Did I miss something?" Kagome asked.

Miroku smirked at her. "I guess they were just surprised that you didn't turn down my advances. I must say that I am very pleased you didn't." He said while waggling his eyebrows.

Kagome's blushed and her jaw dropped as she spluttered. "W-what? N-no!!"

The laughs erupted again, and Kagome realized she had been pegged the fool for not paying attention to the conversation going on around her.

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After tucking Shippo in, Kagome excused herself and stepped outside into the quiet serenity of growing night. Shouron was leaning against the wall of the shelter as she walked by.

"Its getting late." He spoke softly to prevent disturbing the inhabitants of the shelter.

Kagome turned and smiled gently at him. "I wanted to take a walk. I won't be able to sleep until I clear my head of some things." The smile faded as she spoke.

Shouron gave her a sympathetic look and nodded.

Kagome let her feet lead her while her thoughts ran away with her. Before she knew it, she was sitting on the ledge of the old well.

She sighed and gazed at the stars. The map of the heavens was so much clearer when it wasn't obscured by city lights. The stars and the forest surrounding her filled her with a sense of peace.

She removed her shoes and began walking around the clearing. Soft, sweet-smelling blades of grass curled between her toes and cradled her feet. Everything in the world was right at this moment because she had no thoughts of anything except the solitude found at night.

Kagome let her head fall back to face the sky and twirled around, dancing through the clearing. It was a long needed release; it was an expression of gratitude towards the scenery that flushed troubling thoughts from her mind.

Sesshoumaru felt her aura gliding through the forest and wondered if she was seeking him out, but she passed by without so much as a glance. He could tell she was completely immersed in something.

Against his better judgment, he rose to follow her. The reasoning in his mind told him of her obliviousness to any danger that might present itself, and she would need protection in case trouble rose.

But in truth, he enjoyed watching her. Her lovely form had been something he only recently acknowledged, but since he had, it became more and more difficult not to study it.

Now, as he sat in the canopy of a nearby tree, it wasn't her shape he watched. It was her spirit. He watched as all the strife of earlier faded from her, and she danced with the nighttime breezes.

She was stunning.

With her carefree movements, Sesshoumaru lost his grief as well. His worry about his kingdom was never expressed, but he felt it at times when he was certain of solitude. The guilt of upsetting Kagome melted away. And the shame of nearly killing her burned away leaving only them.

Only power and purity.

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Aishi arrived back with the dawn and reported to Sesshoumaru. The soldiers had been instructed to meet Kagome and Shouron outside a human village about half a day's journey from Inuyasha's Forest in two days time. They would leave first thing tomorrow morning in order to accommodate those who would arrive early.

Both the general and the miko were informed of their duties, and Aishi was aware of his role in Sesshoumaru's operation.

Everything was going smoothly until late afternoon arrived.

Aishi smirked as he felt Mokuso's aura closing in on the camp. He opened his mouth to make a ruse comment as she came within hearing range, but he was stopped short.

Blood. Sesshoumaru, Aishi, and Shouron all snapped their attention to the encroaching scout.

Kagome noticed her approach, and felt the tension of the demons around her. But without a superior sense of smell, she was left clueless as to the situation.

But when she saw Mokuso, she understood perfectly. The youkai was clutching her arm, and a huge gash in her kimono showed some nasty looking wounds from collar bone to elbow. It was as if she caught the edge of an attack.

"It is safe to say that the Northern Lands are not friendly towards us." Mokuso said in a weak attempt at humor.

Kagome rushed towards her. "Let's get you to the river. I can heal you, and then we can see to cleaning from your kimono." She said gently as she began to lead the girl away from the now tense males.

Shouron sighed. "This will definitely put a kink into our plans. The journey to the Eastern Lands will be much more difficult crossing enemy territory on both sides."

Aishi nodded but spoke up. "But if we proceed with care, we may be able to force the Northern and Southern Lands into a two-front battle, weakening them from east and west."

"But if we are careless, West and East will be forced into the two-front position." Sesshoumaru spoke tersely.

At this time, lord and both generals turned to look at Inuyasha as he crashed into the clearing. "What happened? Why do I smell blood?" He demanded.

Aishi and Sesshoumaru didn't answer, but Shouron spoke up. "The scout returned from the Northern Lands. Apparently, she did not receive a kind greeting."

Inuyasha's brow creased for a moment. "The Northern Lands? Isn't that the way you and Kagome were supposed to travel to reach the East?"

Aishi's jaw tightened. "And who made you privy to this information?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, but rounded on Sesshoumaru. "You're not sending Kagome into enemy lands without someone capable of protecting her!" He screamed.

Sesshoumaru almost sighed. It was not his wish for her to be involved in this scheme in any way, let alone put into grave danger. But she would not be convinced to stay out of harm's way.

"And just what do you suggest, Inuyasha? I doubt you could convince her anything but the course already set." The taiyoukai spoke, betraying none of his wariness.

"Feh." He replied to Sesshoumaru's comment. "Kikyou and I will go with her and Blondie to make sure she is safe."

Aishi was angered by his audacious comment. "Just how do you presume to squeeze into a plan that was constructed without you and does not concern you?"

"Kagome is my concern. I will protect her as I promised to, and there's not a damn thing you can do about it either." Inuyasha said stepping toward the first general in attempt to threaten him.

Shouron spoke up quickly. "It may be best, milord. The Lord Dachi could not question your incentives, Lord Sesshoumaru, if your brother was present as well. You could send him as a representative since you would be absent."

Sesshoumaru was silent for a moment before replying reluctantly. "Yes, even with his scout, any lord would be wary of admitting foreign soldiers into their gates. And suspicions would be high following the recent attempt to overthrow."

Inuyasha cast a mocking smile towards Aishi who returned with a vicious glare and a scathing comment.

"And the wench? Why would Lord Sesshoumaru allow such a worthless creature to go?"

Amber eyes narrowed dangerously on the general. "She is my intended, and I will not leave her side in such unstable times." Inuyasha replied, conveniently surpassing information about the soul bond he and Kikyou shared and the danger present should he be separated too far from her.

Aishi smirked at him. "You finally rid yourself of your cursed human blood, only to choose to have hanyou pups. You really are a fool." He spoke caustically.

Sesshoumaru was irritated with Aishi's comments. "Enough, Aishi." He spoke with no emotion. "The priestess may join the expedition."

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Kagome sat with Mokuso. The scout had been healed, and now she sat in only her under kimono. The outer kimono was currently being subjected to furious scrubbing in attempt to free it of the dirt.

The bloodstains had been purified from the silk, but the grime from days of traveling had darkened the color and obscured the Seal of the East which had once been emblazoned onto the fabric, easily identified.

The girls took the time to get to know each other better. They would be traveling together soon, and wished to become friends now.

Both doubted their people skills when it came to traveling. Mokuso knew she would get a bit edgy traveling at the slowed pace of the soldiers, much slower than her usually speed.

And Kagome knew that she would be forced to keep pace with fully trained youkai warriors and stay alert enough to defend Shouron should the need arise. She would probably be too tired to maintain a conversation. Or, in the very least, wouldn't want to show fatigue or weakness to the youkai around her, just in case they were entertaining traitorous thoughts.

It would be a difficult journey, taxing both physically and emotionally.

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Inuyasha returned to Kaede's village to find Sango and Miroku sparring with each other. The taijiya's katana clashed against the monk's staff as they both attempted to sweep the feet from underneath their opponent.

Kikyou knelt in the herb garden several feet from the sparring couple. Because of her youth, she always offered to gather the stubborn plants from the earth. Kaede was much too old to be forced to do such menial labor when there were others who could take the brunt of such tasks.

"Hey! We've got to talk!" Inuyasha yelled at them.

The priestess looked up from her basket, and the fighters jumped apart to glance at the familiar voice.

When they gathered in the hut, Inuyasha sat down and crossed his arms and legs in his characteristic pose. Miroku leaned against the wall, and both girls gracefully kneeled.

"What has happened, Inuyasha?" Kikyou began the conversation.

He looked at her. "You and I are going with the general and Kagome through the Northern Lands." He spoke firmly.

Her eyes widened slightly, but she set her mouth firmly and nodded.

Sango's voice raised above normal level. "Why only you?" She grit out.

"Someone needs to stay to protect the village. Plus, I don't think it is a good idea to bring along more humans than necessary. Some of the soldiers traveling will probably have a problem with ningens."

"All the more reason for us to go for her protection." Sango pressed, nervous about her friend leaving, especially since Inuyasha was overtly concerned about her welfare.

"Inuyasha is right." Miroku spoke up. "The more humans there, the more of a distraction the soldiers will have. The best idea is probably for Kagome and Kikyou to avoid unnecessary attention, and while two may be overlooked, four probably will not." His voice was grave.

"I still don't like it." Sango said.

"Like what?" Shippo said as he bounded into the hut.

"Kagome's leaving again. Inuyasha and Kikyou get to go, but we have to stay here." Sango offered before anyone else could put it more delicately.

"What?!?" Shippo's lip quivered as a terrified look crossed his face. Without another word, he tore out of the hut in search of his Kagome.

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A/N: I intended to write more on account of my recent absence and broken promise. I am truly sorry for that, by the way, but due to electrical storms, I couldn't turn my computer on for the majority of the weekend.

It took me forever to situate these two chapters, and yes they are short. I'm sorry, but I HATE WRITING DIALOGUE!! And frankly, I think I severely suck at it, so since last chapter was almost strictly dialogue, yeah, it got hacked to pieces, leaving it sparse.

BUT we are beginning to get back into my area of comfort: Strategery (yes I spelled it wrong on purpose) and Battle. It's going to heat up again soon, so the chapter lengths will even out.

Special note to Sailor Saturn: Thank you so much!! It was so nice of you to ask about me! I felt so loved. Someone actually cared about me rather than the story being updated. sniff I'm so happy!!

On that note. Review responses will be dealt with soon, but I'm too tired to do it right now. Goodnight All, and I hope you enjoyed.


	35. The Gentle General

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 34 The Gentle General

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Kagome and Mokuso were on their way back to the clearing holding the lord and generals, and they almost made it, too. Right as the girls were about to crack the tree line of the clearing, Kagome tensed and spun to face a red blur, but she didn't have time to brace herself.

The speed at which Shippo hurled himself at Kagome was unavoidable, and the collision sent her tumbling backwards

The youkai in the clearing heard their approach and sensed the fast approach of the kit, but they didn't expect the miko to tumble into their sight.

Kagome's arms came up to catch him as she skidded and rolled across the ground before three powerful demons.

Coughing and laughing, Kagome cuddled the kitsune into her chest. "Ouch, Shippo, take it easy." She chuckled, but her laughter stopped when she felt the moisture soaking through her shirt.

"Shippo? Shippo, what's wrong? Are you alright?"

Teary green eyes pleaded with her. "Kagome, are you leaving again?"

A sad smile tried to offer comfort to the child. "I have to, Shippo. I'm sorry." She said gently as she ran her fingers through his fur in attempt to soothe him.

Shippo climbed up her shirt and clung to her neck. "But I don't want you to leave me. Can I come with you?"

"No, Shippo, it is too dangerous. I don't want to risk the chance that you could get hurt." Kagome pulled him away from her neck and held him in front of her so she could look into his eyes. "I love you, and if anything ever happened to you, I could never forgive myself." She spoke softly before pulling him to her face so she could nuzzle his check against hers.

He sniffled. "I love you, too." His determination wavered briefly at her confession, but his face set again as he spouted, "But Inuyasha and Kikyou get to go." The child protested.

Kagome's jaw dropped. "What?!" Her head turned to Sesshoumaru.

He lifted his nose a slight bit higher in the air, and she could have sworn she saw him begin to roll his eyes before the lids snapped shut.

She quickly recovered. "Shippo, listen to me. I miss you so much when I'm gone. It really pains me to leave you, but I would rather you be safe than be with me but in danger." She squeezed him a bit for emphasis. Tears were threatening her eyes, but she refused to cry in front of all those watching them. Closing her eyes, she gained determination in her voice.

"Now Shippo, you're going to act like my big boy, and you are going to stay here and protect the village with Sango and Miroku. You're not going to cry any more are you?" She asked as her voice cracked.

"No, ma'am." Shippo sniffed.

Kagome smiled. "That's my big boy. You're growing up so fast." She whispered the last part as she pulled him into a fierce hug.

She desperately wished the child she had come to love as her own could have more of a childhood, but he was brutally ripped from such opportunity with the death of his parents.

"Hey Shippo," She said with hope in her voice. "Would you like to stay with my family while I'm gone?" She paused as she watched his face lengthen with awe. "I found a way that I can bring you through the well. You can stay and play with my brother and Rin." Kagome smiled broadly.

"Could I?" His little eyes lit up with hope.

She nodded enthusiastically.

Shippo's face dropped the hope and pouted as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, I guess, but I still don't like you leaving me." He tried not to smile as he protested.

"Oh you!" Kagome squealed as she began to tickle the kit.

As Kagome and Shippo were interacting, the youkai surrounding them were watching intently. Shouron couldn't help but smile while watching Kagome tickle the kitsune.

Mokuso was somewhat shocked. Kagome was, above all else, a miko, and mikos are usually not pleasant to youkai in the slightest. But she knew that Kagome was a very kind person from her willingness to heal her, her insisted offer help to clean the dirty kimono, and their conversations at the river, but it was still strange to her.

Here was a powerful priestess treating a demon child as she would her own, and the kit treated her was his mother. She had never heard of such a thing, but she, too, couldn't help the smile that conquered her face.

'Kagome truly is filled with good, heart and soul.' Mokuso thought as the miko easily brought the distraught kit to a fit of giggles with her tickle attack.

Aishi was torn in his reaction, he was, at first, disgusted that such a blatant display of affections was thrown in his face. It was extremely disrespectful to him and those surrounding him. The blatant disregard the girl had towards the others was screaming at him. The first general still had problems accepting a priestess as one of Sesshoumaru's entourage.

There were extreme prejudices in this time, and the most intense was that between youkai and miko. But because his lord accepted her, he was forced to do so also. But this? This was just too much. A miko and youkai acting as though they were family? He was more than uncomfortable watching the scene.

But, then again, he couldn't help it. It was as if his eyes weren't able to leave the scene. Silver eyes widened obviously when he overheard Kagome confess her love of the demon child. After that statement, he wasn't as disgusted. He was still uncomfortable, but the warm scene did not leave him unaffected.

Try as he might, he could not bring himself to hate the priestess as he had, not when she seemed so incapable of hating.

Sesshoumaru tried not to watch the scene. Ever since the rooftop confession, strange feelings had overtaken him. There was a drive, a need to be in constant awareness of her. Images of her were branded across his memories, and he could not escape them. The bizarre part was he didn't want to run from them.

He liked seeing her through the mental window. The ocean depths of her eyes told him everything he had ever wished to know about her. Her face was always lined with expression, even when she tried to hide it. Everything was perfect, except the confusion.

Why? Why was she frequenting his mind? He had spent much time with her, yes, but this had never happened with anyone else. Sesshoumaru didn't like being confused, so he just convinced himself to rejoice in their impending separation.

The time apart would relieve him of the confusion and the images. But what if he didn't want the images to stop?

Sesshoumaru looked up when he heard her confess her love to the kit. He was immediately unhappy with that, but, again, he didn't know why. There was an unmistakable pang in his chest when the kit openly returned her statement.

That's what it was. The unhappiness was caused by the memory of a similar confession; a confession he never answered which, in turn, caused her pain.

He quickly turned his back on the conversation as another image flooded his mind. Her eyes, her tormented eyes, were terrified at his laughter. He had not laughed in centuries, and he thought everyone incapable of forcing him into such a bold emotion. But she had been able to rip the sound from his throat without even trying.

And his most acute show of emotion, which he had thought she would be ecstatic to see, she was forced into agony by it. Her pain was so intense that her surroundings faded; the danger disappeared.

And she fell. She would have died had he been anyone else.

This tormented him; those eyes, the tears, her trembling, everything about the scene replayed in his mind. He could feel the wind atop the building; he could smell the pollution of her world. And he could see her step away from him again.

All over again.

Aishi watched as Kagome carried the kit towards the well and heard her promise to return shortly. But as he watched, his attention was ripped away when he smelled the spilled blood of his lord.

Both generals snapped their focus to Sesshoumaru, surprised to see him clenching his fists at his sides so forcefully that blood streamed to the ground. His eyes were closed tightly, and he seemed to be fighting something.

"Milord, is there something I can do for you?" Shouron spoke up quickly.

Sesshoumaru instantly returned to reality with his general's voice. His stoic personality returned full force as he answered. "No. Prepare for departure; your group leaves at dawn." The taiyoukai turned and walked into the surrounding foliage.

"Curious." Shouron spoke softly to the other general.

"Indeed." Aishi returned.

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The sun was setting, and Aishi had taken a reprieve from those around him. Only about a mile from the village, there was a lake, and he found this place soothing.

The general rested against a tree as he watched the sun begin to dip behind the shadowy hills in the distance. The splash of light created by the dusk turned the entire lake orange, and he could hear the last songs of birds in the trees surrounding him.

He was troubled, though one could not tell from his outward appearance, so he chose this serene setting to ease him.

His lord was acting strangely, and this bothered him. He had noticed something off about him ever since his return from the well, but today was brutal evidence. This afternoon confirmed everything.

Sesshoumaru was oblivious to everything around him; he seemed distraught about something. His lord, a tower of strength and power, was in such turmoil that he had been torn from his environment.

And this was not a safe habit to continue for one such as him, not when there were many who wanted him dead.

Aishi was pulled from his thoughts when he felt another's approach. He sighed when he realized who it was.

'What is she doing here?' He wondered as Mokuso drew closer.

The scout approached the lake she had sought, but was surprised to see Aishi already there. She halted her steps. He turned to look at her.

"Forgive me if I am interrupting; I'll just go to the other side of the lake." She spoke softly.

But Aishi called out to her before she walked away. "That is unnecessary. You may stay if you wish."

Mokuso wasn't troubled as was the man beside her, but she did wish to clear her mind before nightfall. Tomorrow would begin a trying journey, and she wished to prepare herself mentally for the trip.

She wanted to meditate, so she knew Aishi wouldn't be bothered. She nodded and walked over to the shore.

Aishi watched as she walked past him to the water's edge. She kneeled gracefully then bowed, forehead to the sand, to the lake. After that was done, he saw her bow her head slightly and her arms came to rest in her lap.

The general was pleased that the woman wasn't going to distract him from his thoughts. If she only came to meditate, he figured she wouldn't be a distraction at all.

But he was wrong.

His thoughts left Sesshoumaru as his eyes again traveled to the youkai before him. She was incredibly annoying to him. She made him restless in ways he couldn't describe, but if one asked him why, he could not give you a reason.

From his position, he could see the profile of her face, and he couldn't help but admire her beauty. She had a thin, lithe form that was more than curvaceous enough to attract male attention. Her skin looked so soft, the pale ivory of it gleaming in the ever fading sunlight.

And her neck, he couldn't pull his eyes from the tender flesh. Her hair was graciously pulled away from it, with only a few fresh tendrils of burgundy embracing the back. The flaming red wisps of hair that traced her face hung down just low enough to caress the sides of her neck like a lover's kiss.

Some males had an attraction to legs, some to breasts, and yet others to the ass, but Aishi's favorite part of a woman was her neck. Why? Because it was a bridge, the connection between the mind and heart; a woman would give her body to a man, but her mind was always her own.

The mind was never understood by any but her; the heart was given away, and her neck was a connection between the two, a way of understanding without entering her mind. And, to Aishi, understanding without stealing someone's thoughts was what he wished for in a female.

That's the reason he had forced some in the past. With force, he knew exactly what they were thinking without having to steal it from them. But the woman kneeling in front of him, she was different.

He wanted to know what she was feeling and thinking without force or theft. He wanted to know because she let him know through words, actions, expressions.

And that annoyed the hell out of him. Why her? Why now? This was probably the last time he would see her again. She was to leave for the Eastern Lands at dawn, and upon reaching her homeland, she would stay and not return.

Aishi was an aggressive youkai. He had gotten what he wanted in life by knowing what he sought and fighting for it. But this?

This was different. Aishi wanted her to want this as much as he was beginning to realize that he did. Now he just had to convince her that she did want this which might be difficult. He had seen no signs that she was attracted to him, and he hadn't been extremely kind to her, either.

He inwardly groaned. This might be much harder than he wanted it to be.

Mokuso emerged from her meditation only to see that the sun had disappeared completely. Only the faintest trace of pink tinged the sky above the hills. Orange and purple clouds danced above the fading rose trail of the sun.

She breathed in deeply, drawing strength from nature. She rose slowly, knowing that her feet would probably reject the idea of standing after kneeling for so long.

Mokuso was right, her knees were stiff and her ankles pained her as she began to walk back towards the village. She was surprised to see that Aishi was still resting against his tree. He was in the exact same spot as when she had begun her trance; it seemed as if he hadn't moved at all.

Aishi watched her rise and stiffly walk over to him.

"I wanted to wish you well in your travels, Aishi. I did enjoy the time we spent together." She spoke softly, still fearing the possibility of disturbing him, but she wanted to bid him farewell. This would be her last chance.

The general said nothing, but he didn't meet her gaze either. He was staring intently at her kimono, specifically, the material covering her ankles.

"Do they bother you?" He asked as he finally met her gaze.

Mokuso's eyes widened at him. He was suddenly somewhat caring, and he seemed to be able to sense her pain, however slight. She smiled pleasantly. "Positions of meditation are not meant to be comfortable. If they were, one could not tell if they were properly exercising their mind." She spoke the wisdom taught to her from childhood.

"Do they bother you?" Aishi repeated his question, holding her eyes.

She dropped her head. "Yes. But it will pass."

"Sit." The general's voice commanded softly.

Her eyes met his again, only this time questioning laced their depths. Aishi marveled at her eyes. He had never really noticed them before, but they were unique. No other youkai he had known possessed eyes of her color.

Where his were silver, hers were a deep, shining bronze.

Mokuso kneeled before him; she winced as her weight again settled on her ankles. Aishi shook his head at her.

"I said sit, not kneel. Why do you hurt yourself more?" His voice was firm.

"I thought it was your wish." Mokuso stated as she sat back against a tree. Her knees were pulled up close to her chest.

Aishi could believe her words. She thought he wished her harm. Had he really been that harsh with her? He meant to fix that now. He did not want her to continue those thoughts. She would be shown what his wish was; he just hoped she would read it properly.

He did not want to have to vocalize anything. His words usually weren't kind; he had always had problems verbalizing anything. Action was what he was best at, and he would do little else for fear of offending her.

Mokuso watched as he crawled towards her. He stopped at her feet and carefully grasped on of her ankles. Her leg was pulled across his lap so that her foot hung off the edge of his leg.

She gasped as two hands slid underneath the material of her kimono. Sharp talons tingled over the skin of her feet, and she fought to keep her eyes open. Firm but gentle pressure flowed across the joint as his fingers adeptly worked the ache from between her bones.

"You don't need to do this." She whispered as she watched the movement of his hands, entranced.

"I know," was his only response.

"Why?" Her voice held a tremor.

"Because I want to." His eyes fell on her face.

Her eyes were mostly closed, only a small gap in her lids remained open. That gap paralleled one between two parted lips, and her head was tilted backwards against the bark of the tree she leaned against.

Mokuso vaguely registered Aishi's hands returning her foot to its prior position and take the other across his legs.

He watched her; she seemed to be in a daze of some sort. Her face was flushed, and her breathing was shallower, panting through her parted lips.

Her second leg was carefully returned to the ground, and her eyes fluttered open. Minerals clashed as copper met silver, and she watched as he drew closer to her never losing her gaze.

When he stopped mere centimeters away, his eyes flicked down to her lips. "May I?" He asked, not knowing why he felt the need to ask her permission. Instinct told him to, so he did.

"Please." She whispered as she felt the release of his breath across her skin.

His lips pressed against hers in an act so gentle, she couldn't believe it was General Aishi of the Western Forces. She had heard stories of his amazing skills and his vicious strength, but here, with her, none of those words described him.

A clawed hand came up to slide across her jaw like a feather pulled across her flesh. His fingers rested on her neck behind her ear, tilting her head back.

Aishi had never felt this need. It was not a physical lust, but an undeniable pull from within his chest. He barely touched her, fearing she would pull away with any show of force.

He pulled back and waited for her reaction, but his hand remained on the soft silk of her cheek. He searched her face for any indication of what she was feeling, but soon found himself staring into her eyes again.

They pulled him, drew him in.

And soon they were sharing another.

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Jaken huffed. His lord never treated him with any respect, so why should he expect any now? But still this was just too far.

Staying near the human village?

That was just a cruel place to leave his loyal retainer. And he was completely confused as well. Lord Sesshoumaru just barged into the fortress one day and tells them its time to leave.

They brought no provisions at all, not even a spare change of clothes for the girl. Not that he cared for her comfort, he just didn't want to have to smell her human stench when her kimono was dirty from their journey.

And now? Now, Rin was nowhere to be seen. Sesshoumaru had not gone looking for her, so it is assumed that Jaken wasn't the one keeping her this time.

He didn't know how to take this. On one hand, he was happy that he didn't have to attempt to keep up with her for his lord's absence, but on the other, it meant the trust of keeping his ward safe was given to someone else.

Jaken did not know how to react. But it really didn't matter anyways; its not like he could change his master's mind.

That would be the ultimate death request.

Now he and Ah-Un were stuck in the forest near the filthy human nest of a village. They were to wait here until Lord Sesshoumaru or his generals returned with more orders.

For now his order was to take care of the pack beast, and to guard some silly well in his absence. Why would the great and powerful taiyoukai want a dry well guarded?

He huffed. It just didn't make any sense whatsoever.

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Ok, couple of notes:: So I lied about review responses. For some reason, this server (f f net) won't let me access anyone's email address. So I have NO WAY of getting in touch with you unless you left me an email address, but even if you did...eheh, my mailbox got too full as I tried to keep all the unanswered reviews until I could answer them...and now their all gone because my email program ate them all. SO SORRY!! So the moral of this message is: if you want me to respond to your review (please! I like doing it) you need to leave me a way of getting in touch with you.

BUT: what I was going to tell all you lovely people who reviewed was the reason for my absence...what, two weeks ago? Well, I don't know how many of you know this, but I'm a senior in college. My entire weekend was spent filling out applications to graduate schools. No big just MY ENTIRE FUTURE CAREER on the line. Now I'm anxiously awaiting their replies. Yeah, NERVE RACKING, so I'm a bit tense.

Couple of comments on last chapter: I had two very brilliant people remind me of the laws of physics. Yes, I know that no matter the weight or mass of an object, everything falls at the same speed. So my "because of his greater weight" statement of the "falling" chapter was completely false. Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm a science major, so I've had to take several physics courses. My excuse for the "falsity," I have none. I disliked physics, and my selective memory decided to allow me to forget the laws of gravity. ::grumble:: 9.8 m/ss my ass. Sorry, still tense. So lets just play pretend for a moment shall we? I didn't really describe his positioning, but Sess is diving head first. Kagome however was falling with her back facing the ground. That's how I envisioned it, I just didn't describe it well. Because of wind resistance, he would have been able to catch her.

Love you all.


	36. Beginning the Journey

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 35 Beginning the Journey

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It wasn't dawn quite yet. The barest trace of pink graced the horizon, the precursor to a beautiful morning, but both on the shore saw nothing glorious about this morn. It was an ominous event that neither wanted to discuss or think about, but it seemed that there was no time left.

Mokuso sat on the ground between his legs with her back leaning against his chest. Aishi's head rested on her shoulder, and his cheek brushed sweetly against hers as they watched the dreaded arrival of the sun.

She nestled further into his embrace and nuzzled his face with hers. "Its not fair." She whispered.

He pulled away from her slightly to better look upon her. Aishi knew what she meant, but he gave her the opportunity to expand.

"All I have wanted since I left the Eastern Lands is to return home, and now that I'm so close, you give me a reason to stay." Her eyes shined to him in the coming light. "And I no longer want to return home," Her eyes dropped to his arms around her waist. "not alone."

His arms tightened around her as if to keep her with him. Aishi was hesitant to say anything for fear of offending her with words that came out harsher than he wished, but he knew he needed to say something. He searched for the words needed, and kept his voice soft so at least the tone would not hurt. "I understand your duty as you must understand mine."

She nodded. "Its strange to me; this is the first time that I have not wanted to follow my lord's command. Does that make me low in obedience?" Mokuso questioned in a weak whisper.

"Only if you don't comply." He answered steadily.

She sighed, but Mokuso didn't want the little time they had left to be spent in misery. She tried to lighten the mood. "You are cruel in your timing." She spoke with a lilt and nudged him with her shoulder.

His face remained solid, but his voice rose slightly in pitch letting her know he was trying to continue her attempt at carefree conversation. "You have never heard of the terrible and cruel general of Lord Sesshoumaru?"

The red head smiled brilliantly. "I thought General Shouron was sweet." She then burst into laughter.

Aishi's brow furrowed at her comment as he tried not to scowl, and her laughter just grew. When she saw that he wasn't pouting and truly was troubled by her comment, her mirth faded.

"The terrible and cruel General Aishi of the Western Forces is famed throughout the lands, but I doubt many know of the gentle Aishi that holds me now. Is there room for both when you are with me?" She asked solemnly turning in his lap to face him.

"You ask for cruelty?" He was puzzled by her want of both versions of him.

A shy smile captured her face. "If it is a part of you, then yes."

For the first time her could remember since youth, Aishi smiled without promise of pain. She truly was someone to return to if she understood him so well. It seemed as if everything he wanted was dropped into his very lap, the very place she sat currently. It was then that something gripped him fiercely.

It scared him. Everything was coming together so beautifully; he was actually happy at this moment. The dread that filled him was so cruel because now he could only wonder when it would end. Such fortune lifted you above all others only to crush you under its wheel at the end of its turn. Mokuso seemed to be thinking the same thing because she looked up with fear in her eyes.

The scout shyly confessed her opinion on the general's fierce reputation, and his smile was her reward. She gasped at the sight. His beauty was almost as famed as Sesshoumaru's, but at this moment, with the rising sun casting its glow across his features and that breathtaking smile, she could think of no Kami that would be his rival.

Warmth spread through her and she was overwhelmed with desire to press her lips to his as they had through the night, and with those thoughts her mind flared with her joy at finding him. She had actually been found by someone who was terrifyingly beautiful, fiercely strong, and as gentle as a breeze when with her. Elation filled her as she sat on top of the world only to realize that things could not get better than they were right now.

Her head dropped to look at her lap; they were about to be separated for an undetermined amount of time. A dangerous journey welcomed both to its path. Would he return to her? Or would they be ripped from each other so soon after their meeting?

Mokuso looked up at him with fear shining through the unshed tears in her eyes. He seemed just as worried as she; and she was shocked to see fear in his expression as well.

A hand reached down to her cheek, and Mokuso leaned into it. Determination then spread across his face. "I will return to you if you will wait for me."

She smiled at his words. "None other could fill this void."

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By the time the sun had completely cleared the horizon, almost everyone had gathered at the clearing of the Bone Eater's Well.

Inuyasha and Kikyou waited at the edge of the clearing talking amongst themselves privately and waiting for the journey to begin.

Shouron, Sesshoumaru, and Aishi were discussing time constraints of the journey and when the lord and his generals would meet up again.

Mokuso sat on the edge of the well waiting for the signal for departure and sneaking longing glances at a certain general. They had said their goodbyes in private, and both agreed that it was probably best to keep the blooming feelings for each other private.

Aishi had many enemies and was loathe to have her punished because of his actions.

Only Mokuso's furious speed and quick reflexes allowed her to dodge the small black pack that was thrown over the edge of the well at that moment.

A faint grumbling and movement of the vines encasing the well signaled Kagome's return from the future. The demons near hid their smirks at her discontent mutters about having to climb the vines to escape the well, but soon her head popped into sight and her feet thrown over the wooden lip.

Aishi turned to her. "I was informed by you that you would return shortly, yet the night has passed and you are just now returning." His tone was flat, and Mokuso was disturbed at how harsh he could be with the girl.

Kagome sent him a glare which was only amplified by her dislike of being up so early with little sleep. Inuyasha took a step backwards. That glare usually meant pain for whoever was on the receiving end, but, then again, Aishi wasn't weary a rosary.

"Since it was the last night I would be able to sleep in my own bed for quite a while, I took the opportunity." She stated heatedly.

Aishi merely looked bored with her answer. "You're late." He tilted his head towards the risen sun.

"Last time I checked, you were not my lord, so you have no authority over me, Aishi." She looked at Sesshoumaru. "I had some difficulties detaching myself from three over amorous children." She said with a slight bow to the taiyoukai.

He merely nodded in acceptance.

"So when are we leaving? I'm gettin bored." Inuyasha chose this moment to cut in.

"It seems that all is in accordance, my lord. Unless there is anything else you wish of me, I think we are ready to leave." Shouron spoke as he turned to face Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru nodded again, and Shouron turned to face the direction of the assigned meeting area of the Western troops.

Kagome's eyes slid to Sesshoumaru and caught his eyes on her. A silent second passed before both looked away.

She picked up the grounded pack and turned to smile at Mokuso. "Its going to be a long trip." She breathed out.

"I agree." The red head answered with one final glance at Aishi. Their eyes met, and she offered him a small smile before she and Kagome began following Shouron.

Inuyasha and Kikyou took up the rear, and the journey began.

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About an hour into the journey, Inuyasha broke the pleasant silence of morning.

"Oi, wench!" A grunt followed shortly because of the elbow that found its way to his ribs. He sent a look at Kikyou who answered it with a heated gaze. "I mean, Kagome, what happened to your other pack?" He answered.

Kagome tossed a glance over her shoulder; she hadn't been affected by his first title for her, but that didn't mean she had to be friendly to him after calling her such a name. "Its at Sesshoumaru's fortress. We left in a hurry, and I didn't think to grab it." She made a simple but nondescriptive answer.

Inuyasha snorted. "Figures. You got a smaller pack now that I don't have to carry it." He spoke tersely as he studied the pack that smelled like Kagome's little brother.

Kikyou shook her head. She knew what was coming with the fiery priestess, and she felt no pity for her love.

Kagome stopped to fully turn and face him. Mokuso, who had been walking alongside her in silence, took a few more steps but stopped then to turn and watch the interaction. She wasn't sure how the bonds of relationship connected the two girls with uncanny similarities and the loud-mouthed inuyoukai. If she hadn't known by the plan, she knew by appearance that Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were related, but that seemed to be their only commonality. Their personalities were as different as night and day.

Kagome's calm tone echoed through the trees surrounding them. "You never had to carry it, Inuyasha. In fact, half of the time you carried it despite my objections, so you have no right to speak that way." Her voice gained momentum and force by the end of her words. With an evil glint in her eyes she finished her spiel with a nonchalant tone that belied her actual emotions. "Sit."

She turned back to Mokuso and smiled, fully satisfied. The two girls began walking again.

Inuyasha propped himself up off the ground with his elbows, the rest of his body still prone on the ground. Kikyou knelt beside him trying to hide her smile. "You should not anger someone who has such a powerful hold over you."

The former hanyou looked to her with shock in his eyes. "I thought she gave the ability to subdue me to you."

A slight smile painted her lips. "Yes, she did, but that does not mean she relinquished her power over you as well."

Kagome heard her words and smiled.

Mokuso took this time to voice her questions over what happened. One moment Inuyasha was standing, and the next his necklace glowed as he crashed to the ground.

Kagome smiled and cheerfully explained the rosary situation.

Both Shouron, who had been listening intently, and Mokuso laughed at the inuyoukai's misfortune.

"Kagome," Mokuso couldn't hold her curiosity. "can only a priestess exert such control? Perhaps a youkai might do the same?" She asked wondering evilly how Aishi would look crashing to the ground as she had seen earlier.

Shouron cracked into violent laughter, and all eyes focused on him. He sent a knowing look towards Mokuso then continued his progress. The scout blushed and wished she hadn't said anything.

"I'm not sure. It has never been tried to my knowledge." Kagome silently wondered what she missed until she saw light pink blush which painted her companion's face. She then wondered who Mokuso wished to subdue.

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They were the perfect couple; brash, quick-tempered, and audacious meets patient and gentle yet stern. Kagome tried not to watch them for fear of a sense of longing overtaking her and displayed through her once calm eyes.

She no longer craved Inuyasha's affections as she once had, but she was beginning to realize just how lonely it could be without someone to share experiences verbally. She caught herself before chuckling out loud when her thoughts turned to the possibilities of sharing with her most recent companions.

'I'm sure Aishi would be a very attentive listener, right before he ripped my throat out for talking to him without permission.' That thought amused her. 'Shouron would be easy to talk to unless he's still attempting to discover all my secrets, but then again, he's already found out most of them. And Sesshoumaru? Well, I don't know what to think of him anymore.' She released a weary sigh. 'I miss Sango.'

A similar sigh brought her attention to the scout walking a few steps in front of her.

Kagome smiled. 'I may have some one to talk with after all.'

The sun was finishing its decent, and the land surrounding them seemed to come alive with the sounds of nocturnal beasts.

Shouron stopped and sat down at the base of a tree. Looking up at those around him, he spoke, "This seems like a good place to settle for the evening."

Everyone looked to him curiously. No one expected to stop for the night, not when they had an appointment to keep. Shouron gave a half smile. "Lord Sesshoumaru incorporated a stop knowing the humans would need rest before a trip where there would be few, and I need to conserve as much energy as possible before we embark for the Eastern Lands."

Kagome smiled and began to gather wood for a fire as the others settled into other evening activities. Inuyasha hunted, Mokuso scouted the area for predators that may have sliped under everyone's notice, and Kikyou retrieved water and gathered some herbs to flavor the meal.

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"Lord Sesshoumaru, I wish to discuss something with you." Aishi spoke as he neared his lord.

Sesshoumaru was standing at the shore of the lake gazing out into the horizon. He nodded slightly in acknowledgement, but he never turned to face him just continued his stare.

Aishi searched his profile in attempt to gauge his mood at this time. What he wanted to discuss was extremely important to the general, and he didn't want it blown off just because the lord was being particularly stubborn. But he could tell nothing at this time, Sesshoumaru had his perfect façade calmly placed over his features.

"I have recently had reason to question my term of office. I was curious…" But Sesshoumaru cut him off.

Still not facing him, the lord spoke. "We will discuss this when the events to come have occurred." His tone was flat, but final.

Aishi still maintained the perfect posture demanded of his position, but his shoulders twitched with the urge to let them slump in defeat. He knew the tone of voice his lord had used, and it meant that no negotiation or persuasion would proof effective. Aishi set his face determinedly and nodded in affirmation.

Sesshoumaru saw the minute movement of his shoulders. It wasn't a habit, and it was never going to become one, but he actually had the urge to clarify his sentiments at that time. His primary general had been unfailingly loyal, inexcusably useful, and the closest thing to a confidant he had held since he was thrown into his position as Lord of the Western Lands.

The taiyoukai turned to his general. "Events to come are unpredictable. If all goes according to plan and exceedingly well, we will all survive this ordeal. If things fall into chaos, I will not remain to give you leave to start your plans with the scout."

Aishi's eyes widened at his words, but Sesshoumaru continued.

"Rhetorical situations are not to be relied upon. Focus on the trials to come, and we may live to look to the future. Remember this, Aishi, I have never been unjust in my decisions, not when those requesting my favor deserved my respect. That should be all the answer you need at this time." Sesshoumaru's intense eyes bored into Aishi's silver for a moment, willing the words to settle into the proper place, and he turned back to face the stillness of the lake.

Silence held for a moment until Aishi split it with a short chuckle.

Sesshoumaru's eyes slid to him at his movement.

"At times I forget how superior your senses are; even after I covered the evidence, you had no doubt." He spoke as he shook his head, now joining his lord in gazing into the waters.

Muscles tightened in his jaw to prevent a smirk at his general's admiration. "Do not think me a fool, Aishi. Even without uncovering your attempt to hide the entwined scents in the forest, I am not unobservant."

"Yes, this is a fact. There has never been a time where I have wished otherwise until now." He spoke flatly, but both knew the other well enough to judge their meaning without hearing it inflected within the tone of voice.

Minutes passed in quiet reflection, each to his own thoughts, until Sesshoumaru spoke again.

"They should be arriving at the meeting location within the hour. We will leave for the West tomorrow, and observe all we are able until Rokoshi sets a plan in motion."

Aishi nodded. "Understood. I will make arrangements for departure." He waited until Sesshoumaru gave him permission to leave, bowed, and walked back into the forest.

A brief glance was cast to the tree which supported he and Mokuso as she rested against him. Determination sunk into every pore. He would see her again, and they would watch another sunrise exactly as they had lacking only the fear of separation the rising sun brought.

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They had reached the designated rendezvous point early in the afternoon as planned. As soon as Shouron stopped he alerted the others that they had arrived, and he immediately retreated to a large rock embedded within the protruding roots of a tree that rivaled the Goshinboku back near the well.

Finding a comfortable spot, he began a meditative trance to gather the energy necessary for the journey. It would be at least a five day trek at a fast pace; one or two night stops would be necessary for both the humans and him.

It was hard for him to concentrate, though. There was a village not too far from this spot, and the activity of the town and incoming and outgoing travelers grated against his senses as he tried to dive into himself.

Before he could become too frustrated at his lack of control over his thoughts and senses, a flush of spiritual energy surrounded him. Opening his eyes, he saw a miko's shield around him; he could see nor hear nothing beyond his own movements. Smiling, he silently thanked whichever priestess had provided the barrier.

Inuyasha had felt the need to hunt and scout the surrounding land. The group had arrived several hours before the soldiers were required to be there, so the inu felt it safe to leave the girls to their rest while he stretched his legs and senses throughout the woods.

It was a warm day, and the sky was a clear blue interrupted only briefly and occasionally by white clouds.

But it had now been an hour since Inuyasha had left. The girls had spent that time talking mildly and taking in the serene setting, but there was an edge under Kikyou's movements. It was easily told that she was beginning to wonder why Inuyasha hadn't come back yet.

Kagome expanded her senses and searched for his aura, letting everything in a wide radius show itself to her. She breathed a sigh of relief when she felt him about five miles away and returning.

But then she felt others, strong others.

There were three of them, obviously youkai. They were headed straight for the gathering site. Kagome prayed to all the gods listening that they were some of the Western Soldiers arriving early, but the odds were not so good.

The troops were required to be present for two more hours.

She got a sinking felling in her stomach. Kagome was strong enough to handle most anything thrown at her; Sesshoumaru's sparring had made sure of that, but she would need to conserve her energy as Shouron had been.

But that in no way meant she would sit around and get trounced by some youkai passers-by that wanted to have a bit of fun at three women's expense.

Kikyou and Mokuso felt the presence, also, and soon they were standing, ready for whatever was headed towards them. Kagome was gathering energy to her in case of a fight, Kikyou had an arrow aimed at the direction of the arrivals, and Mokuso was crouched, ready to carry Shouron off at a seconds notice in case he was in danger.

No amount of energy could be stolen from the general without great probability that the journey would fail. This was well known to all in their group; Sesshoumaru had made sure of that.

Kagome searched for Inuyasha again; he was coming quickly, but he wouldn't make it in time because the intruders were upon them.

The three youkai burst through the trees in a 'V' formation, one out front and two behind, and came to an abrupt stop before the three battle ready girls. All three had confused looks on their faces because they were not expecting anyone to be in the clearing.

Kagome had covered them, aura and scent, in hopes that they would pass by without noticing. But her hope was for naught.

Confused eyes narrowed on the unexpected presences.

"Who the hell are you?" One of the youkai in the back spoke roughly.

The one up front raised his hand to discontinue his speech.

But Kagome decided to answer anyways. "That may be none of your concern. What is your purpose here?" She was unwilling to give away any information to these three unless they were under Sesshoumaru's summon.

The leading youkai spoke. His voice was a deep bass. "That most definitely is none of your concern. Humans have no business here." He glanced at the miko's shield holding Shouron. "I suggest you leave before you attain unnecessary injuries."

Kagome's eyes narrowed, but before she could reply, Kikyou stepped forward to keep her from speaking harshly.

Kikyou's attempt to silence Kagome failed when the girls heard the last youkai speak.

"Can't we play with the a little, I've never had the chance to kill a miko?" His voice was deep but held a bit of a whine in his request.

"I'd like to see you try to kill me you little…" But Mokuso squeezed Kagome's shoulder before she could finish her taunt.

The one in front spun to the one's behind him. "We are here under strict orders, and we have no time to sully our hands with humans."

"Strict orders?" Kikyou spoke quietly, but they heard her.

All three pinned her with a dangerous look. Kikyou saw intent to kill in their movements, so she pulled back the arrow creating the tension needed to pierce flesh.

Everyone crouched ready to begin the fight, but before anyone moved, Kikyou swung her bow away from the youkai. Her new aim was the miko's shield.

The priestess fueled enough energy into her arrow and released it. Every demon near, including Mokuso, felt the purity of the arrow as it flew toward its target.

Shouron's shield shattered, and he was ripped from his meditation with the sudden surge of energy.

The soldiers saw that Shouron was the one in the barrier and rounded on the girls thinking they had somehow contained him. They lunged, but Kagome erected a barrier around themselves just as they crashed against the barrier in attempt to break through.

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Sigh Ok, so I am now officially one of "those" authors who disappear for a month. I apologize. I got some rather depressing news and for about two weeks locked myself in my room, exiting only for work (which only made things worse) and school. No joke, I didn't even read my email but once in that period, so if I seemed incredibly rude for not answering your emails…it was because I never checked it. SORRY!!

I will try, but I cannot promise with FINALS impending that I will update next week. I will send out my little "newsletter" to those who reviewed and tell them when I update since the fanfiction server is now allowing me to access email addresses again.

ALSO: I'm sorry about my lack of creativity with this last section. I really could NOT for the life of me think of any names or descriptions of these new characters that I was satisfied with. That and I'm HORRIBLE with names. SO any of you lovely people have any ideas about what to call them…I'd be more than grateful…my brain took Thanksgiving Holiday off. Just know this for suggestions…the three are triplets, so their appearances and their names need to be somewhat parallel. KNOW THIS: the quicker I can get past the "What the hell do I call them?" question, the faster I can update. Yes, that's a bribe, and I'm not ashamed of it. evil grin

I'll update as soon as I can, but I have another fic that has been sorely abused when it comes to updating. So that needs to come first. Love you all so much, and you're sweet words and, yes even the death threats, did help out a lot when I decided to venture out of my room. I'm not usually a pessimistic person, but for some reason I just could shake it. Oh well, its over now. I got to watch my guy blow shit up online. If any of you are into MechWarrior, drop me a line, I got some pretty interesting stories!!


	37. Aishi's Realization

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 36 Aishi's Realization

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Doubt. When had he, the Lord of the Western Lands, ever experienced doubt? It wasn't a common occurrence, in the least; it had to have happened once before, or he wouldn't know what he was experiencing now. But it was extremely rare.

Why? Simple, everything about his controlled, orderly world had been thrown off axis since she had been introduced into it's environment. Like a superior species introduced into a foreign ecosystem, she had thrown every detail off balance and become a plague to the indigenous population.

Plague? It was a strong word to describe someone as seemingly harmless as Kagome, but it was very appropriate. When she was introduced into his haven, Sesshoumaru had found her amusing but defiant. If that had remained constant, there would be no problems now, but his opinion of her was constantly shifting, ever changing.

Amusing turned to interesting and entertaining with the onset of their morning practice ritual. Entertaining became alarming with the show of her power, shocking in her protection of him before herself, when she had been originally forced into her position of loyalty to him, and disconcerting with the realization that he cared whether she lived or died in his quarters after her minefield mishap.

As confusing as these thoughts were, the taiyoukai had ignored them all. But the emotions caused by the emotional girl resurfaced numerous times more. She took the poison for him, nearly killing herself in the process; that wasn't intentional. But what had happened after that? Why did her scent change? And since that time, why does her entire body occasionally glow when healing herself? It just didn't make sense.

And on top of all of this, the feeling of memory and vivid images were starting to constantly haunt him in addition to those questions. Hopeless, desperate, teary, blue eyes pleading with him to save his own life and leave a lost battle. The numb shock he felt when he watched her eyes leave his to glance at his lips before pressing her own to them; the sensation of allowing himself to participate in her kiss.

The image of Kagome falling from the building surrounded by her own tears was a frequent visitor. Even the image of the first time her saw her manifesting power surfaced from time to time; Kagome in the forest surrounded by her swirling lights which cast shadows but illuminated all the same. The vision was ethereal.

Yes, it was safe to say the girl was a plague, one that attacked his sanity and decayed all of his barriers. Many could fall to this sickness, and he was beginning to believe he already had; somewhere within the politics and protocol of his fortress, his actions and emotions betrayed him for her.

But, as he suppressed those images and feelings again, the question to ask himself was why. Why was all of this attacking him now? It took little thought to realize why.

The great Taiyoukai of the Western Lands was worried about her.

Kagome was easily capable of defending herself, but could she defend Shouron as well? Yes, she could, in a normal situation. But Sesshoumaru hadn't given her a normal situation. Kagome, as a human, would have to keep up with youkai traveling pace with little to no recuperation time while defending Shouron from any assassination attempts.

It was true, his brother was there to help Kagome, but this was little comfort. He would carry his intended on his back. But Kagome, what of her? There was no possibility of her maintaining the speed needed, and none of his soldiers would help a ningen.

A thought came, unbidden, to Sesshoumaru of one of his troops carrying her in his arms as Sesshoumaru once had. A growl surfaced.

He would not allow that to happen, despite the improbability of the situation. But if no one carried her, what would happen? She would use too much of her own strength keeping up, Shouron would be unprotected…

And Kagome would die. Her own power would rip through her weakened body leaving nothing to remain.

Something clenched in his chest, a terribly painful feeling, when he carried the thought to completion.

This would not happen either. The desire to protect her hadn't dissipated in the least. So what to do now? Sesshoumaru turned toward the human village. He had avoided all contact with the humans, had stayed as far as possible from them, but right now he could not hold this habit any longer.

Sesshoumaru needed to speak with the taijiya.

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"Kariudo! Subdue your brothers!" Shouron shouted.

Kagome's focus was immediately drawn to him; she had never heard him sound so stern or commanding.

All three ceased their attacks on the shield. They took a step back allowing the general to walk between them and their former target. "Yes, General Shouron, as you wish." The youkai in the middle, now known as Kariudo replied in his deep bass voice with a small bow.

Shouron's head turned over his shoulder to speak to the girls standing behind him. "Kagome, you may lower your shield. Girls, these three will give you no more problems. Isn't that right?" His voice, while gentle at first, hardened at the last sentence to voice an obvious threat to those standing before him.

"Yes, General Shouron." All three replied.

Kagome dropped the shield, and the girls stepped forward to line up beside the general. All three were still tense and ready to fight at any time, but they would trust Shouron and his men.

Shouron nodded to the girls as they stepped up to him. "Girls, these are three who will be traveling with us. I would like to introduce you to Kariudo, Kinzi, and Kento." He turned his back to the soldiers and faced the girls. "Play nice now." He said with a wink before he returned to his previous position on the rock within the roots.

The girls watched him sit and begin his meditations again. Kagome put a shield up around him again and then turned back to the youkai in facing her.

The three newcomers tensed when the shield went back up around their general, but they did not attack, as was promised.

Kikyou took this time to speak up. Her voice was firm but gentle as a teacher's voice should be to her students, but her face lacked all emotion. "The shield does no harm to him. It will only block out the sounds and visions surrounding him. He is gathering energy for the upcoming journey, so meditation is necessary. The barrier will only help maintain mental isolation until it is time to depart."

With those words the girls saw the three relax slightly, but their distrust was still obvious.

Kagome was still upset at their attitude and comments, but she decided to swallow it for now and try to make amends.

"My name is Kagome. It is a pleasure meeting you." She made eye contact with all three and bowed her head slightly with the introduction. The miko made gestures to the girls behind her. "My companions are Kikyou and Mokuso." Each nodded when their name was spoken. Kagome continued. "And Inuyasha, who is presently out hunting, is another who will be present for the journey." She took a brief scan of the area for his aura. "He should be back in a few moments."

Kariudo, Kinzi, and Kento nodded slightly at her information.

Kagome turned to take a seat; as she sat, she looked back up at the three. "Forgive me, but I could not distinguish who went with which name. Would you mind telling me?"

Though she made certain that she did not come across as weak or dumb to these three, there was a slight plea in her words. It was going to be a long walk, and she had no intentions of making enemies of her traveling companions.

The three glanced between themselves before Kariudo spoke up. "I am Kariudo. I am the eldest of the three." His voice was deep and smooth.

Kagome quickly associated his appearance with his name. Kariudo had midnight black hair down to his lower back, simlar to hers, but where hers shined with a hint of blue in the sunlight, his had a purple glare when light was reflected. His features were strong and lovely. Strong cheekbones held a slight tint of color to them which accented his strong jawline which tapered in its heart-like shape. His eyes were the deep violet that matched the highlights of his hair.

"My brothers are Kinzi and Kento." Each nodded with their name.

Kagome noticed that Kinzi and Kento had the same face; both were very similar to Kariudo, but these were identical in features. Strong features adorned their faces, but their cheekbones weren't as pronounced as their elder brother.

Both brothers had violet-black hair very similar to Kariudo's color, but the twins had more pronounced violet. Kento's hair was short and spiky about the crest of his head with a few wayward strands curling in towards his eyes. Kento had no height given to his hair. His style was shaggy with hair reaching the nape of his neck and cut just above his eyebrows.

Their hair seemed to be the only way Kagome could tell them apart because she didn't know them well enough to be capable of distinguishing based on personality. Though, from their prior comments, she wasn't too thrilled about becoming closer to them.

After her observations of her three newest traveling companions, Kagome turned her attention back to her fellow females. Kikyou was looking out into the tree-filled distance awaiting Inuyasha's return. He had obviously gained much more control over his demon blood if he could go such distance away from Kikyou. She didn't seem worried, so Kagome decided she wouldn't either.

While she was away with Sesshoumaru, Kikyou and Inuyasha must have been practicing and pushing to see how far they could extend from each other without him losing control. The distance Inuyasha had gone from his intended impressed Kagome.

Mokuso was lost in her own thoughts. She had isolated herself as much as she could while remaining in the clearing. The miko continued to watch her for a moment, honoring her wish for solitude until the scout sighed heavily.

Kagome watched as a clawed hand came up to trace her fingers across her lips as copper eyes closed in a pained remembrance.

This was the last straw for her; Kagome could easily tell that Mokuso was in pain, and she would not sit idly by and do nothing to at least try to help. She just wasn't capable of such inaction where her friends were concerned.

Walking up quietly behind the scout, Kagome leaned against a nearby tree, crossed her arms across her chest, and spoke. "He most be some kind of wonderful to sweep you away like that." Her voice was soft to prevent scaring her new friend, but firm enough to prove her support of her friend.

Mokuso smiled, fingers still pressed to her lips, and turned towards Kagome. "I think so."

Kagome sat down beside her keeping only a few inches between them hoping to keep the conversation as private as possible in an area full of creatures with demonic hearing. "Is he waiting for you?"

A small smile crept across her face as Mokuso replied. "He said he would, and I believe him."

Kagome giggled. "So tell me about him." Her gossiping tone made the other blush.

"He is intense." Mokuso's eyes glazed over a bit as she recalled some private memory. Kagome held her silence to allow for her to elaborate, and the youkai continued.

"On the outside, he is hard and cold to all who see him, but I can see through to his emotions. It took me time to learn to read him, but his eyes give him away. His eyes are beautiful, and his touch makes my heart race…"

Kagome heard little after that. Mokuso's description sounded so much like Sesshoumaru, and the miko was suddenly lost in thoughts of the stoic lord. Memories revisited her of perceived flashes of emotions through his eyes, but at the times, she convinced herself that he was stone.

Nothing below the solid surface.

But the visions kept coming, worry, amusement, and even passion clouding his eyes during their various encounters. Passion.

Passion was present after she kissed him. He not only acquiesced to her, but he began to participate. Kagome would have never tried to deepen the kiss; that was something she wanted, but kissing him without expressed permission was assumed offensive enough. So she had planned on keeping things chaste, but he hadn't let her.

Sesshoumaru had taken it further. And he had set her on fire. Tingles raced across her skin at the memories of her lord embracing her.

Passion. Kagome wasn't very experienced in that field, but her mind started to run away with her…

Until a roar from the youkai gathering ripped her thoughts away. Turning her head towards the commotion, Kagome saw a semi-circle of soldiers surrounding Inuyasha and Kikyou who were in defensive positions protecting a battle form of Kirara.

While her conversation with Mokuso had progressed, Inuyasha had returned, and many more soldiers had arrived.

Both girls sprang to their feet and ran to help.

"Inuyasha, what's going on?" Kagome yelled above the indignant shouts of the other demons.

"How the hell should I know? I just saw two of 'em messing with Kirara." He yelled over his shoulder as he stared down the advancing soldiers.

Kagome quickly turned to Kirara. "Are Sango and Miroku in trouble?" Her voice was panicked, but the great neko shook its head and opened its mouth, dropping a scroll.

"What's this?" She asked as she picked up the parchment.

IIIIIIII

Kagome,

Upon Sesshoumaru's request, I have sent Kirara to you to help. Your journey will be trying enough without trying to keep pace with youkai. You will be in my thoughts, and do not worry about the village. Miroku sends his best wishes, as well.

Sango

IIIIIII

She smiled thinking of her friends in Kaede's village, but the pleasant thoughts were short-lived. Outrageous roars and condescending comments flew from the soldiers around them.

From what Kagome could tell, two or three of them wanted to keep the neko as a pet, and the rest were banding together to fight the strangers. But one other thing was made clear to the miko as well.

Now she didn't have to conserve every ounce of strength for travel pace and Shouron's protection. All she was responsible for with the addition of Kirara was protecting the general, Kirara, and herself.

Her full attention went to the scene around her.

The majority of the creatures surrounding her were beautiful, jeweled eyes, vivid hair, and perfect skin, but the insults spewing from their mouths were not complimentary to the appearances of all.

"ENOUGH!!" Kagome shouted, watching with glee as many winced at her tone. Her voice chilled, infusing strength into her tone she began. "I know you are all civilized beings, otherwise you would not be allowed under Lord Sesshoumaru's service, so let us try to act as the refined creatures we are. What is the problem?"

"This is none of your concern, ningen. Now leave before you get hurt." A demon with red hair and a flaming temper spoke loudly.

Kagome answered evenly. "It concerns my friends, youkai; therefore, it concerns me as well. Have you more to argue, or are you willing to speak of what troubles you?" Kagome tried to keep her comments strictly political, but she couldn't help it. The last comment was meant to antagonize and couldn't be contained.

The prior youkai and two others stepped menacingly forward with their fists clenched at her words. Kagome's face remained calm as she assessed her likely opponents.

Her view became blocked; however, when three tall males with black-violet hair stepped between her and the soldiers. She recognized Kariudo's voice as it echoed across the clearing.

"General Shouron informed my brothers and I upon our arrival that these behind us will be traveling with us, and that they are not to be harmed. If you wish their pain, take it up with the general first. You have been warned." Reaching the end of his speech, Kariudo, followed by his brothers, turned and left the mob.

Kagome received many glares from those surrounding her, and she could barely contain the urge to roll her eyes.

"You cannot hide behind the general forever, wench." She heard someone hiss at her.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously at his comment, but she refused to rise to his bait. Kagome was here to protect Shouron from any possible traitors. This journey was not for her to prove herself against arrogant fools, so she held her silence.

'Besides,' she reasoned with herself, 'the less they know of my abilities, the quicker I can dispatch them if trouble arises.' A smile crossed her face that confused all around her, and she turned her back on the offensive creature before her to return to Mokuso's side.

"Don't turn your back on me, wench!" The flame haired demon yelled at the silent insult she sent him.

Kagome's walk stopped for a minute second before continuing to the scout, inwardly laughing when she heard the quiet growl echo from the soldier.

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Gleaming eyes peered through the foilage at its prey. Watching as the little girl looked around suspiciously. She could tell she was being watched but she couldn't tell where the danger stemmed from.

Her brown eyes widened when she heard the wind rustle through the leaves, and she spun quickly to avert the attack, but none came.

His elevated senses could pick up the increase in her heartbeat as adrenaline started to pump through her veins, but still he held his position. He would attack when victory was certain. Eager eyes watched as she took a step backwards, then another. She was now directly underneath the branch on which he perched. The girl's chest heaved with heavy breaths, and she nearly jumped out of her skin when her back hit the trunk of the tree.

A glance behind her told her that nature was the cause of her scare. He watched with muscles coiled, ready to spring, as a sigh of relief passed her lips. And he attacked.

He heard her scream as she spotted him, but it was too late now. He had her pinned beneath him, and he would tickle her until tears of laughter fell from her cheeks.

"Shippo, no!!" Rin squealed as she tumbled to the ground, laughter forcing its way from her mouth.

Souta stood nearby laughing at the tumbling two. Rin's eyes squeezed shut tight as she fought against the kit. "Souta, help Rin!!" She managed between giggles. The eldest took a step forward and Shippo's head popped up to look at him. Souta laughed again and ran towards them.

The kitsune squeaked and ran up the tree again.

"We've treed him, Rin." The boy said as he extended his hand to help her up. Her clothing was in disarray, and her hair resembled a birds nest, but her brilliant smile showed Souta just how much she didn't care about those details.

"Shippo, come down and play more!" Rin laughed as she bounced up and down to emphasize her words.

"Come and get me if you can!!" Shippo challenged.

Rin began to scramble towards the tree, but Souta put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. She turned to look at him in question, but his mischievous smile stopped her words.

"Hey, Rin, I have a better idea. I've got some candy in my room. If Shippo is in the tree, there will be more for us." His voice was pitched in a stage whisper that was loud enough for any human to hear, let alone a youkai.

Rin giggled and ran towards the house followed by Souta.

"No fair!!" Shippo called from his vantage point. "Wait for me," was heard as a red streak of fur was spotted flying towards the shrine.

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Shouron breathed a sigh of relief when his mind settled back into place after his extensive meditation session. He had been temporarily setback after being pulled so brutally from them earlier, but upon returning to his solitude, he found the interruption was not as detrimental as he originally thought it would be.

Glancing around, he found his isolation shield was now his prison. He rolled his eyes, at the problem, but quickly settled on a solution. Swirling his aura around him almost violently, he caught Kagome's attention, and she quickly released him.

The miko ran up to him and apologized profusely thinking he was angered at her inattention. He heard the snickers of the soldiers around them, and assumed they thought he would punish her. He only smiled.

"I only just finished Kagome, my intention was to gain your attention. It worked, and I am free with minimal loss of strength." He grinned at her, and she returned the favor with a radiant smile.

The general turned his attention elsewhere. "Kariudo." He called out amongst those gathered.

Kagome recognized the youkai she had been introduced to earlier as he walked towards the two. "Yes, General Shouron."

"How many have arrived, and has there been any trouble?" Shouron's voice was smooth and relaxed with his gathered power.

"Fifty have arrived and reported to me, milord. There was an incident earlier; many of the soldiers are curious about the strangers among us." He hesitated, but Kagome cut in.

"Shouron, Kirara has joined us to help me with the journey on Sesshoumaru's request." Kagome handed Shouron the scroll carried by the neko.

A murmur traveled through the troops with Kagome's words as Shouron read the scroll. The general nodded at the new information. "What was the incident?" He turned to Kariudo.

"It did not sit well with the warriors to have an unidentified youkai drop into the campsite without announcing its intentions. And a few of the men were offended at the presence of ningens amongst our lord's business." He spoke clearly.

Shouron's eyes quickly assessed Kagome and Kikyou for any evidence of a skirmish.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "It was negligible, Shouron. Nothing of importance happened, just an exchange of words."

The general nodded once again before a smile tugged at his lips. "I am assuming you didn't provoke the men in any way." His voice was wry.

The miko smiled back as Kariudo and the others watched on, bewildered at her casual manner with the general.

"Perfectly innocent." She batted her eyes before laughter spilled from her mouth. Her voice became serious as her laughter dimmed. "Just remember, you were the reason Aishi and I had it out. I started nothing, then; why would I now?"

"True. I was at fault at that time, but it was a good show. And extremely funny, if I remember correctly." His laughter echoed across the camp.

The soldiers were exchanging curious looks at the overheard information. Mokuso walked up to the two engaged in the conversation and joined in.

"Hilarious, General Shouron." She could barely contain her laughter at the memory of Kagome trying to douse the flames in her hair. "Tell me, Kagome, has your hair grown back, yet?" Both youkai started laughing so hard they had to grab their sides from the pain.

Kagome huffed. "No. The jerk, why did he have to aim for the hair? That was a dirty tactic."

Mokuso stopped laughing long enough to speak again. "He does have a sense of humor, Kagome. He just does not show it often. He wanted to embarrass you as well as defeat you."

"Well, I guess the embarrassment succeeded but at least he didn't defeat me." She huffed again as the two began their laughter anew. Eager to change the subject, Kagome spoke to Shouron. "When are we scheduled to depart, Shouron?"

Wiping the tears from his eyes, the general looked to the sky. The sun had begun its decent and was only a few inches from touching the horizon. "As quickly as possible." He turned to Kariudo, who stood there looking extremely uncomfortable. "Tell all to gather their things and prepare to leave."

"Yes, General Shouron."

Within moments the temporary campsite was cleared of all signs of inhabitance, and everyone was ready to leave. Kagome had mounted a grounded Kirara, Kikyou was astride Inuyasha's back, and Mokuso was standing next to Shouron ready for the upcoming run.

The soldiers were in their standard formation for sprint speed, forest traveling, three lines of partners with similar skills ready to dodge in and out of, run amongst the branches of, or bound over the covering trees. Shouron took a brief assessment of all those under his command then turned in the direction of their target.

Wisps of fog swirled around Shouron's feet before a cloud formed, lifting him inches above the ground. He hovered for a moment then took to sky directly above the trees' canopy. In one great leap, Kirara was right behind the general.

Kagome watched in awe as the sky darkened threateningly and lightning flashed. Thick, deep clouds formed from nothing as rain began to fall from the sky. The light sprinkling on her skin soon became a pelting that left her skin feeling a bit numb, but the temperature remained warm enough to prevent her from becoming sick.

The darkness of the clouds took on a greenish hue and the clouds began to swirl and dip in the beginnings of a tornado. Nature's fury was truly astounding especially when one is able to stand by without fear of their own death.

When Shouron was sufficiently satisfied with the provided cover, his cloud began to move towards the Eastern Lands. Mokuso took off at a sprint to catch up with him in order to show him the quickest path. Kirara bounded through the raindrops just below Shouron's altitude, paws brushing the treetops, to serve as a physical barrier between the general and any possible traitorous turncoats.

Looking down, Kagome could see the many colors and forms of the youkai below her, but they were moving to quickly for any more than a blur to be distinguished.

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Sesshoumaru and Aishi had begun their journey to the Western Lands. The two were nothing more than the whistle of the wind through the trees with the speed they were traveling.

But all was not well amongst the lord and his general, though none could tell but the two.

Aishi's sanity was once again in danger. Why? Because something was troubling his Lord, or someone, rather.

The first general had barriers to prevent others' thoughts from intruding upon his mental sanctuary, but extreme thoughts could penetrate those carefully laid barriers. Extreme fear, elation, anxiety, and even exhaustion in Mokuso's case could all rip their way into his mind.

Lord Sesshoumaru had defenses against mental attacks; every strong youkai establishes those defenses at some point in their existence to prevent some power-hungry creature from forcing them into slavery. As a taiyoukai, Sesshoumaru's defenses are in pristine condition.

This just proved how disturbed he was.

But Aishi couldn't really make sense of any of his thoughts. Images of the miko pierced his barriers frequently. He had to admit that the visions were nothing short of art, and Aishi was left to wonder if the circumstances had really occurred or if Sesshoumaru had conjured them.

The verbal thoughts confused him greatly. Contempt, irritation, and fear were abundant. Fear? Aishi had never known his master to fear anything, so what was this about. There were other emotions as well; concern, fondness, and a gentleness that the general couldn't explain.

It was as if, even though the images were not a tactile thing, the taiyoukai feared to touch her lest he break her, though not physically. An image of Kagome's face twisted in horror and fear struck him so fiercely that Aishi almost stumbled. But the image continued. He watched as Kagome took a step backwards and fell from an astounding height.

Fear ripped through his mind and he saw from Sesshoumaru's perspective as he leaped off after her. Aishi's eyes widened with realization. His lord was afraid of breaking her spirit.

But Sesshoumaru was not happy with himself over his concern for a ningen, and he was confused as to why he couldn't stop caring for her despite his attempts to hate her.

'Hate her?' The general was reminded of himself for a brief moment. Aishi almost laughed at his initial attempts to hate Mokuso. He had no reason to hate the scout, but he tried so hard to force himself into that emotion. Why? Because he had loved…

"Holy shit." Aishi swore aloud for the first time he could ever recall. His legs halted, refused to move was more accurate, and the shock which overtook him visibly showed on the normally stoic general's beautiful face.

Sesshoumaru heard the quiet curse. He was extremely surprised at his general's outburst and his halt in their travels, so he stopped as well to discover the reasons behind Aishi's actions.

The taiyoukai saw his general looking at the ground, eyes wide, and breathing heavily. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and tried to find any malady which might be affecting him. Silver eyes snapped up and locked with gold.

"You love her." Aishi whispered quietly.

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Note: I was not certain what word to use upon Aishi's realization. I am not comfortable enough with Japanese to attempt to use it in such a vulgar fashion, but I did wish for my readers to know the extreme shock and "uh-oh"ness of the situation. So yes, it is very out of character and not a word familiar to the feudal era, but work with me here. It had to be done.

Heehee. Now you see why I separated Kagome and Sesshoumaru, don't you, my intelligent readers. I had a lot of complaints, but this is how I wanted to do it (Use Mokuso and Aishi as a contrast and stepping stone). All is well, you shall see.

My apologies about my absence, again, but my computer has been disconnected and sitting useless on the dining room table for about two weeks now. I just got it set back up in my room yesterday. Sigh. Moving sucks. Whatever.

Not too much more to go in the story. I'll update again pretty quickly (within a week, this time). You have my word. Much Love, Syrinx


	38. Breaking Down

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 37 Breaking Down

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Kagome's fingers curled into Kirara's fur as the wind blew threw her hair. It was a beautiful feeling to have such freedom, but the miko was extremely tired right now. After three days and nights of constant travel, she felt as though her head were about to explode with tension.

Sleep would correct all of the stress causing her muscles to constrict and cramp painfully; sleep would allow her normally optimistic personality to resurface. But sleep had not come to her for two nights and three full days.

But she did not wish to sleep right now because sleeping would mean her fingers losing their grip, and if she let go… She glanced down at the trees right below the cat's paws.

Kagome envisioned herself, exhausted, her fingers uncurling, and her limp body falling off her companion's back. She winced as she saw the image of herself bounce from limb to limb until it came to an abrupt halt against the forest floor. As a spite to the weakness of humans, several of the bounding youkai below her did not spare her a glance as their steps passed over her.

She shivered and relinquished the disturbing vision. Kagome hated being so morbid at times, but these violent little movies in her mind were what had kept her awake the past two nights, the fear doing wonders to override her fatigue.

The technique didn't work as well this time as had so many times before, and she was beginning to wonder how much longer she would have to stay awake. The rain, which continuously howled around her, just made her wish to curl up in her bed and read a book.

But she wasn't at home. She was surrounding by violent creatures that had bloodlust to match their voracious skills in battle hiding beneath the surface of a calm battle worn exterior. Sesshoumaru would settle for nothing but the best, so Kagome had no doubts about how powerful these creatures were.

She sighed. It didn't work. The "crazed bloodthirsty" creatures below her were not to harm her for risk of disobeying a direct order from Shouron. She knew this, and thus the fear did not come…and she was still exhausted.

Kagome reminded herself of how lucky she was. Poor Kikyou was below her clinging to Inuyasha. From above, Kagome couldn't monitor their movements well, but she had ridden on his back countless times. Kagome knew how uncomfortable it was to be floating one second only to collide with his back when the inu pushed off the ground. It was a vicious, nauseating cycle.

She had to give Kikyou credit for controlling her stomach and ignoring the migraine that would result after extended journeys upon Inuyasha for as long as she had.

Looking in front of her, she saw that Shouron looked as if he was dead on his feet. His shoulders were slouched forward, his knees were bent about to give in, and his head was bent so extremely that it looked to be touching his chest. Despite the overwhelming strain he had to be feeling right now, his hands were still palm skyward defiantly. His arms had drooped to his sides, but he refused to give in just yet.

The sun was sinking slowly. Another hour and it would kiss the hills on the horizon. Would they spend another night traveling? If so, Kagome doubted she would be able to continue the fight against her fatigue. Serious doubts about her living to see morning began to arise until she heard a soft voice float to her on the wind.

"Kagome, we will make camp this night." Shouron called back to her.

Elation coursed through the girl at his words. Kagome never thought she would be so glad at such simple words, but those words held so many promises. Sleep, her rest tonight would be so deep; she doubted if anything could wake her this night. Real food, Kagome had been warned that the group would not stop often, so she had packed several travel mixes and breakfast bars to sustain her while on the go. She had cleaned out Souta's supply of the packages, too, and had given those to Kikyou, warning her to stuff the wrappers in her clothes until they could stop and burn the evidence.

The reason given was so that no one could track them, but Kagome also truly wished not to alter anything of the past. Leaving artifacts and strange materials around might allow for a discovery centuries before its time, and Kagome refused to risk such a drastic change for fear of changing her family's livelihood.

Kagome was still floating with happiness at the prospect of a fish dinner when Shouron's voice interrupted her.

"Kagome, alert the troops." His voice was still weak, but she heard him well enough.

Knowing what he wished of her, she nodded her head, though the gesture was pointless. He would not see it because he hadn't turned towards her. Kagome mentally scolded herself for the lack of intelligence she displayed while extremely tired.

"Yes, Shouron, I'll notify the others." She responded finally. She patted Kirara's neck and leaned down to speak to the cat. "Kirara, do you think you can find Kariudo?"

The neko (cat) roared in affirmation then dropped its altitude, weaving in and out of the tree limbs before catching the scent of the soldier. A few great strides of the flaming paws allowed the cat to catch up.

He glanced at her briefly to acknowledge her, but he quickly returned his gaze back to the scenery around him, not wishing to collide with anyone or anything.

"Kariudo, Shouron wishes to make camp tonight." Kagome spoke but hesitated afterwards feeling awkward. Was he the one to tell? He seemed to be the second in command behind Shouron, but he wasn't responding to her comment. What now?

She took a deep breath and continued with a shaky voice. "I would be very appreciative if you would make the announcement. I doubt it would be well received if I gave the order to the warriors."

"You assume correctly. I will take care of things." He answered with no inflection to his voice.

"Thank you." Kagome said quietly before patting Kirara once again and rising above the tree limbs.

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If Aishi would have rammed him from a full sprint, Sesshoumaru would have felt less effects than from the verbal assault to which he was just privy. His eyes widened as the actual meaning of the words seeped into his understanding.

And as if the collision was the actual case, the lord took a step backwards before he realized he had done so. His defenses on full alert now, despite the lack of physical attack, the taiyoukai brought one arm up in front of his chest to block a potential blow; his other arm remained at his side, but his fingers were flexed and gaining the fluorescent green of Sesshoumaru's potent poison.

Realizing what he was doing, Sesshoumaru quickly regained his composure, his face returning to its normal picture of impassiveness, but he was still off-balance and at a loss for what to say from things. The inu lord opened his mouth to respond to Aishi's accusation.

Only to snap his mouth shut, his eyes narrowed dangerously, and the words he had composed in response vanished. "You, Aishi, have trespassed in unwelcoming territory." His voice was nothing short of venomous as he realized that Aishi had intruded upon his thoughts.

Aishi's emotions, which were rapidly changing, were not shown in his posture, but his eyes reflected the fear he held for his lord's loosely-reigned temper. But fear was nothing compared to the disappointment he felt at this time.

Sesshoumaru hadn't denied it.

Not that denial would change Aishi's opinion of Sesshoumaru's feelings. But Kagome, though powerful, was a ningen. Human. It would be a blight on the taiyoukai's glorious lineage.

And the lord took great pride in his bloodline.

Insubordination would occur; youkai tend to think being involved with humans is a weakness in itself. It is as if their frailty causes a weakening in the strength of even the most powerful youkai.

And no one had been able to disprove this belief. Not even the great Inu no Taisho, Sesshoumaru's all powerful father.

Even he had fallen after taking a human to his bed… Sesshoumaru would no doubt face the same fate if…

Kagome wasn't as weak as other humans; she was stronger than most youkai he had ever come across. But perhaps the frailty that was impinged upon the associated youkai was not one of strength. Maybe the mind was that which became weak.

Aishi had not been present for the former lord's death, nor did he know of the true tactics either the dog or the dragon had employed in that fatal battle. So assumptions on Inutaisho's weakness gained Aishi no bearing; for all Aishi knew the inu lord was still a great warrior, and Ryuukotsusei had used foul means of defeating Sesshoumaru's great father.

Sesshoumaru became more and more irritated at Aishi's silence. It was as if the general would not answer, and not answering a lord when addressed is a great offense, despite his lifetime of loyalty.

Aishi was ripped from his thoughts when he heard his lord growl. Silver eyes widened, realizing his offense, he quickly bowed to his lord at a much lower height than one of his station usually used. "Forgive me, my lord." His strong voice refused the plea-like tone he wished to use.

The taiyoukai nodded slightly and turned to continue their travel, but before he resumed he left Aishi with some vital advice. "It would be wise for you to speak no more unless addressed, Aishi. Lifetimes of loyalty will not stay my hand upon the next intrusion." The tone was even but strained as if barely leashed in its fury.

Aishi nodded his agreement, and the two began their journey once again.

Travel began again and with it came Sesshoumaru's thoughts.

The general gritted his teeth trying desperately to ignore the inner debate within his lord. Confusion over the words Aishi spoke was now present in great amount only to be denied by the foolish idea, according to Aishi, that youkai are not capable of love.

Sesshoumaru tried to relive experiences that would cause her positive image to shift, but he was never fully successful. And all the while Aishi was forced to watch as if his own mind was a projector screen before his eyes; it was a cause for alarm to see how deeply the feelings ran within his lord.

But it was still disturbing beyond belief.

All of a sudden, Aishi was greeted with his own face in his mind. He and Shouron stood next to each other in front of a shield; soldiers could be seen through the shield trying to break through.

The general winced at the image; he knew full well where this was going for he had experienced it before. But he couldn't say a word for fear of his life.

Through Sesshoumaru's eyes, Aishi saw the miko on her knees a few feet in front of him. Her head was bent in defeat, and the general felt pain at her posture. Her head lifted, and Aishi was speared by the emotion dripping from her expressive blue eyes, sparkling with tears. Gracefully, she rose to her feet in spite of her exhaustion, words were exchanged, but Sesshoumaru didn't focus on them, so they were but white noise in the general's mind. She approached him, and Aishi felt his heart race with his lord's. They were connected, so they shared even physical responses.

The gentle caress of fingers grazed his cheek, and he felt her lips pressed to his. Shock raced through his mind, and Sesshoumaru's world was halted. Aishi felt shame at experiencing this, as if in some way he was betraying Mokuso, but he couldn't stop the image. His lord was controlling his very responses.

As he finished the thought, the taiyoukai released his shock and sank into the kiss, pulling the girl closer to him. Aishi felt the responses Sesshoumaru gave. The silk of her lips, the addictive taste of her mouth, the tiny noises she made when the lord delved the depths of her mouth.

Aishi was loosing his battle. He didn't want to experience this. It wasn't his place, and he tried to block out everything, but it was no use. The intensity of his lord's feelings ripped his barriers to shreds.

Desire, a deep shade of want coursed through Aishi's body as he felt Sesshoumaru pull her even closer, further into their embrace. Nothing else existed but the feel of her pressed against him and the passion that filled his very being.

Aishi nearly choked on the overload.

That is until a surge of lust flew through his veins. It was too much. Aishi's legs stumbled, and soon he was skidding across the grounding, tearing through tree trunks with his momentum.

"Milord, please stop!" Aishi practically begged him, the sensations rendering him helpless, insanity threatening him, and the disgrace of involuntarily feeling these things for Kagome when he wished for no one but Mokuso left him feeling violated.

Sesshoumaru's memory was interrupted by the crashing of shredded trees, and a plea from Aishi. The taiyoukai halted and turned to see Aishi pulling himself to his knees, his hands were holding his torso off the ground, but Sesshoumaru could see how they shook against the ground. Green tresses were mussed from the trees' impacts, but they still fell down across his face, hiding any expression.

This was a position never before seen from his strongest warrior. Sesshoumaru quickly scanned the area for any possible enemies, but he found none. Greatly confused, he closed the distance between him and his general.

A broken plea greeted him. "Please, Lord Sesshoumaru, do not make me relieve that with you."

Confusion racked the lord, until anger ripped through him. He saw Aishi flinch and grab his head. Sesshoumaru forcibly restrained the furious growl that threatened his throat. He took a menacing step forward fully intending to make his inferior pay for his multiple intrusions.

Until he realized the state Aishi was in and the words he had used. '…do not make me…' Sesshoumaru halted his progress. Aishi had never been one to bow at another's feet. Never. Even when defeated, he had never before prostrated himself as he did now. Aishi was one to greet death with a defiant air. This was one of the reasons Sesshoumaru respected him as much as he did.

Aishi seemed as fearless as himself.

But now? What could reduce him to this? He resembled Jaken except that no fear was present. Sesshoumaru watched as Aishi pushed his weight backwards so he was only on his knees and no longer holding himself up with his hands.

Aishi's voice was strained, quivering slightly. "I have never in my life had a true confidant, my lord, some one I could tell any and everything and trust them to keep it."

Sesshoumaru was now thoroughly confused. What did this have to do with anything? But Aishi continued before his could voice the questions.

"You, Lord Sesshoumaru, are the closest I have ever come to confiding in, and as such, you know the limits and boundaries of my mental capabilities. You also know the weaknesses of my defenses."

The lord watched on impassively.

Aishi never met his eyes in his speech. "You know the weakness of my defenses." He reiterated to ensure Sesshoumaru paid attention. "You torture me with your intense emotions, and you do not even realize it." His hands shook in his lap. "Please, lord, no more."

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Kagome knelt before Shouron, giving him food and tending to his needs. She still hadn't eaten herself, and the fish Kikyou and Inyasha caught for her was crackling tantalizingly over the fire. But she pushed her stomach back under control and made sure Shouron was comfortable, even going as far as working the knots out of the muscles of his shoulders.

She watched as he slipped into slumber. The light rain stopped immediately, and Kagome knew that spies would see them, but they were only a day away from their destination. No lord could assemble and evacuate an army that quickly. Plus, there would be a travel time for the mobilizing enemy to reach their campsite.

Kagome grinned; everything was going according to plan. The enemy would know Sesshoumaru's troops were sent to the Eastern Lands, but the knowledge would come too late to strike against them.

She settled in front of the fire she had built for her companions and began eating her dinner beside Mokuso. There was no conversation between the group. Several other fires were present with small groups surrounding them, but she paid the strangers in the company no mind.

Until she heard someone raise their voice above the murmur of the soldiers. "What I speak is truth. Shouron has become weak. Look at the way the humans must tend to him." Vicious eyes pierced Kagome, and anger boiled to the surface.

Kagome stood and glared down at the seated youkai. Movement to her side alerted her attention, and soon Kariudo and his brothers were standing near her glaring down at the youkai as well.

Her patience at an end with her weariness, Kagome spoke harshly to him. "You arrogant imbecile, Shouron is weak because he has covered our progress to the Eastern Lands for the past three days. Or are you too weak minded to have noticed the storm raging around us?"

"Bitch, you would do well to sit down and shut your treacherous mouth." He dismissed her to speak to the brothers guarding the sleeping general.

But Kagome would not be dismissed so easily. Her voice rose to command the attention of everyone but the obliviously tired general. "I granted you my patience the last time we spoke, but I have no more to give. You will regret your words if you insult me again." Her voice threatened certain death, but the youkai only laughed.

Inuyasha stepped closer to her. "Kagome…" He tried to stop her rant, but she spoke the truth when she warned of her lack of tolerance.

"No! I have done nothing to defend myself against the abrasive words these weaklings have thrown at me. I have done nothing but my duty as Sesshoumaru ordered, but now I will do both simultaneously. I will defend myself, and no one will attack Shouron after I make an example of this one." Her anger tempered her voice, and Inuyasha flinched away from her.

But the crimson haired youkai did not heed the warning. He walked towards Kagome who stood firm, staring at him as if he was nothing but dirt beneath her feet.

"You, bitch, will learn your place." He threatened.

Kariudo stepped between the two of them as before. "General Shouron has ordered that she and her companions are not to be harmed, Gooman." His voice was threatening, but steady.

The youkai's eyes flared as his anger took over. "Shouron is too weak to defend himself against a human child. His orders no longer apply." His face became cunning. "You and your brothers are the strongest here, Kariudo. Kill Shouron and his humans and you will have your own army."

Growls from the troops around the youkai, now known as Gooman, erupted at his statement. He spun to the soldiers behind him. "You would still follow his orders? Fine, follow the orders of a kitten, but I for one will not obey a weakling." He spun around to face Kariudo again.

"Shouron is weak; if you won't do anything about it, I will." He tried to step past him but couldn't.

Kagome's voice pierced the thick silence. "Kariudo, please step aside." Her voice was firm and commanding.

He turned his head to look at her with confused eyes, but he could see nothing but determination there. She was seething and that anger was directed towards Gooman.

"No, General Shouron ordered…" He began but was interrupted.

"General Shouron may have said those things, but Lord Sesshoumaru sent me to handle cases such as these. Sesshoumaru's order outranks Shouron's, so step aside." Her voice was now impatient.

Gooman's laughter was loud and abrasive. "Lord Sesshoumaru sent YOU to defend the general? Has he been weakened by your race as well?"

Kagome's voice was smooth as she pressed her hand against Kariudo's arm, encouraging him to move aside. "No, Sesshoumaru knows the value of surprise." She spoke her warning.

Red eyes narrowed on the miko. "Your death will be slow and painful, bitch." He raised his claws threateningly then slashed at her.

Kagome made no move to avoid the attack. She was angry beyond anything she had ever felt, and she meant to not only defeat him, but humiliate him in the processs. Four gashes ripped through her torso from shoulder to hip, but she didn't even flinch.

Gooman laughed hysterically as the smell of her blood drifted across the clearing. Inuyasha, Kikyou, and Mokuso screamed in surprise but could not reach her. Their bodies would not react and they were frozen in place. Kariudo, Kento, and Kinzi tensed beside her, but made no move to help at her warning glance.

Kagome's head dropped to look over her injuries, her eyes slid up to lock with Gooman's, and she smiled. Every soldier showed expressions of shock as a golden light consumed Kagome; as the light disappeared, so did the smell of her blood.

Kagome's clothes were still ripped, but beneath the shredded cloth, the youkai could send mended skin. Besides the ripped garment, no evidence of his attack remained, not even blood that had once soaked her shirt. Gooman gawked.

A confident voice broke through his stupor. "Hmm, it seems as if you missed, Gooman." Kagome mocked him.

A ferocious growl erupted from his throat and he swiped at her again, sending blades of his energy towards her. Kagome again, made no move to dodge, but this time, her purifying energy was exuded through the pores of her skin. As happened when Aishi attacked her in this manner, the blades were purified before they reached her skin.

The glow faded from her. "Really, Gooman, and you called me the weakling. Surely you are more skilled than this."

Inuyasha shook his head. This was not his Kagome; what had happened to the sugary girl he remembered? His eyes narrowed. 'Sesshoumaru must be responsible. That bastard did something to her; now she's changed.'

An eruption of youki caused leaves and dirt to thrash around him, as Gooman prepared for another attack. Kagome watched impassively. A red ball of energy appeared before him, and he sent it at her.

The miko raised her hand to deflect it casually, but as it changed direction from her guidance, its shape changed. No longer a ball but a rope, it wrapped around her wrist. Before she could react, it wrapped fully around her body, tying her arms to her helplessly.

Or so Gooman thought as he began to laugh again. "Is this skilled enough for you bitch?"

Kagome smirked. "No." Her body poured her purifying magic through her again, and the rope dissolved into nothing.

The youkai stopped laughing. Laughter was replaced by a growl. "You will die!" He cried as he ran towards her.

Before he reached her, he slammed into a barrier and rebounded to the ground. Sitting up, he saw her looking down at him with no emotion. "You have outlived your usefulness." Kagome spoke evenly.

Everyone watched as two violet circles appeared around her chest. Kagome sent them for his head, but a voice stopped her.

"Kagome stop!" Shouron's voice caused her to force her attack to veer off-course. The razor-like blades turned at the last second to graze his neck on both sides. She turned her attention to Shouron.

The general struggled to his feet. "He is a traitor to the Western Lands. It is Lord Sesshoumaru who will sentence him."

The miko nodded. "So what do I do with him until then?"

Shouron smiled as he sat back down. "You have a very effective prison. I have seen it on two occasions, against Aishi and Samon. I think that will work well until we arrive at Lord Dachi's estate." His eyes closed as he finished speaking.

Kagome sighed, but turned her attention back to the youkai in front of her. He had stood while her attention was on Shouron.

"No prison you build can hold me, bitch. You will…" Gooman began, but no one ever got to hear him finish his second sentence for a pink barrier soon surrounded him fully.

Now entrapped in a spherical prison, Gooman began shouting and beating against the shield. Kagome smiled and shook her finger at him reproachfully.

She turned to the stunned youkai soldiers around her. "His prison is a miko's barrier. It is connected to my own aura. If any of you attempt to break it, or if you even approach it, I will feel it reflected within my energy. If this happens, I will take it as a threat, and you will join him in his prison cell." Her voice reflected the power of her words.

It was getting late, and Kagome felt the pull of exhaustion overcome the adrenaline that had fueled her previously. She smiled serenely at the stunned individuals around her. "Rest well, goodnight."

The soldiers watched as she, Kikyou, and Mokuso sat down near Shouron. A barrier was soon erected around them, and Inuyasha jumped into a nearby tree.

Kariudo cast a glance to his brothers who were still in a state of shock. "Where did our lord find such a ningen?" His brothers shook their head. A wicked smile crept across the eldest's face. "Do you still wish you had the chance to fight the miko when we first arrived, Kento?"

"Hn." He replied haughtily.

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A/N: Hey…do any of you know if Kirara is a male or female? It was kinda awkward not knowing whether to call it a him or her. I've heard both used in many fanfics, but I've yet to find anything in the manga or anime. Did I just miss it, or was it not addressed? HELP!!

Yes, I missed my deadline again. Man…my word means nothing anymore, and its all because of this story. SIGH. Oh well, my reasoning? I had to rewrite this chapter twice. Why? Well, I was in an EXTREMELY Good mood when I wrote Aishi's breakdown, and me in my idoicity (not a word, yes, I know) wrote it as a HUMOROUS scene. I went back and re-read it and was appalled.

What kind of sadist writes humor in their favorite OC's emotional breakdown? (yes, Aishi is my favorite OC, heehee) Grr. I'm such a bitch, so I went back and made it angsty as it was supposed to be in the first place. Yes, I know a lot of people don't really like angst, but I'm ripping apart relationships to rebuild them stronger. There is a purpose believe me.

Ravensilverkat: ha! I did find a use for one of the names you gave me! Thanks bunches!


	39. Death of the Body

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 39 Death of the Body

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Aishi was perched on his knees upon the ground, his eyes were closed in attempt to meditate. He never enjoyed meditation, and he never really saw any improvement in his powers or abilities through this technique. But his lord insisted, so he did.

He sat, trying to concentrate, trying not to feel the wind against his face, trying not to hear the birds in the trees. But he wasn't succeeding, he could feel, hear, and know his environment. Aishi was not one to be able to completely block out his surroundings, which left one vulnerable.

Sesshoumaru watched from a few yards away as Aishi tried to do his bidding, but he was failing. The taiyoukai almost smirked at him. He knew of Aishi's contempt for this exercise, but he also knew it would be necessary for the general to hone his mind reading abilities and barriers.

But Aishi still did not wish to do so, and he was still failing at his meditations. Sesshoumaru took a few steps forward, and kneeled upon the ground as well. The lord had decided to test him. He was only a few yards from his general. Closing his eyes, Sesshoumaru concentrated on all the things he had seen in Kagome's land. The confusing structures and objects, the abrasive noises flooded his thoughts. The taiyoukai funneled these images into one huge mass of confusion writhing about his mind.

Opening his eyes, he saw Aishi begin to flinch, so he knew his thoughts were reaching his first general.

Aishi realized what Sesshoumaru was doing and attempted to close off his mind from his lord's attack, but he was still weak from the earlier mental scene. Suddenly, Aishi was enveloped in some sort of acid. His skin didn't burn, and he couldn't feel anything touching him, but he could smell it.

Harsh scents assaulted his nose and eyes. Aishi started to feel faint, but before he gave over complete control to the caustic scents, he realized this was Sesshoumaru's doing. Mentally, his lord was causing this.

Aishi gathered his strength around him and attempted to further his defenses. No longer concentrating on the mental world of acidic burn and potent scents, Aishi looked inward and found his center as he had been taught many years ago. This was a test his lord was giving him, and he would not fail.

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Kagome awoke before the sun rose. She thought this very strange on account of her extreme weariness and exhaustion, but she also considered herself lucky. The miko needed to do a few things before setting out again this morning.

Change. She was in desperate need of her spare change of clothing; Kagome could purify the threads of bloodstains, but she hadn't quite gotten the clothing-mending power. Not that she had really tried, but as accident prone as she could be at times, there was no way she wanted to try uncertain powers on her clothes in public. That was just asking to be named her most embarrassing moment.

She looked down at her ragged shirt. Gooman had done a number on it, and she really wasn't decent, but she hadn't cared last night. Kagome had been too tired to care about anything. It was unfortunate in the fact that she felt horrible, but it also kept her from being haunted by thoughts. Insecurities had staked their claim in her mind, and nothing short of death would wash them away. But the extreme exhaustion was helping.

And she really wanted the chance to take a bath, but she doubted she would be granted that luxury. A camp full of beings with demonic hearing, stealth, and unknown powers and abilities at their disposal was, in all likelihood, not the most conducive environment for privacy.

Kagome sighed, maybe this day wouldn't be as good as she had pictured last night on the verge of sleep. Quietly, she slung her pack over one shoulder and tiptoed to the edge of her barrier. Crossing her arms over her chest to hide from any sleepless demons, Kagome made her way to a nearby river after tossing a glance to Gooman's prison to ensure his presence.

When she came to the river, she scanned for any approaching auras; there were none, so she quickly stripped and dove into the river. She was extremely cautious to leave her next set of clothing within reach along with the easy access of her towel.

As she finished washing her hair, she felt someone approaching. She grabbed for her towel and covered herself as she hopped out of the river. No sooner had this occurred than Inuyasha dropped down from the limbs of a nearby tree. Kagome's eyes narrowed on him.

"Do you mind, hentai? Leave!" She hissed while twisting her body to try to fit most of it behind the towel.

Inuyasha snorted indignantly. "I'm not here to look at you; we need to talk, and you can't runaway when you're like this." He said as he turned his eyes from her.

Kagome's eyes flared when she realized he planned this. She had to refrain from growling because any moment now the sun would rise, and many youkai would start moving around. It was only a short matter of time before one of them stumbled onto the scantily clad Kagome trapped by the stubborn inu in front of her.

Kagome huffed. "Any moment now, they will start waking up, and I'll be stuck like this!" She stage whispered trying to ensure the continued state of rest of those around her.

Inuyasha smirked and spoke at a normal volume. "I guess that just means you'll shut up and listen faster, won't it?" He said arrogantly.

"Get on with it, then." Kagome growled still clutching her towel like a lifeline and glancing longingly at the clothing at her bare feet.

He looked straight in the eyes, careful to make sure they didn't stray anywhere else. "What happened last night?" His voice was firm and commanding.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "You know as well as I that I am not as weak as I used to be. Lord Sesshoumaru told me to protect Shouron, and that's exactly what I did."

He growled and took a step towards her. "That's not what I meant and you know it! You have changed Kagome. You would have never acted that way when we traveled together."

"Weakness isn't allowed in Sesshoumaru's house. That youkai was treasonous and deserved death." Kagome spoke dangerously, but something in her eyes spoke differently almost as if they were pleading with him.

Inuyasha broke eye contact and looked at the ground, shaking his head. "Perhaps, but you never used to think that way. Damnit, Kagome, you couldn't even kill Naraku the first time we met up with him even after knowing what he had done to Sango, Miroku, and I. Now you are ready to kill at the slightest offense?"

Kagome's voice trembled, but her tone remained hard. "As you said, I have changed."

"And that's not even the half of it." He spun and pierced her with his gaze. "You weren't going to just kill that guy. You were playing with him, toying with him like a cat would a mouse. Shit, Kagome, that's sadistic even for Sesshoumaru. That sounds like something Naraku would do." He narrowed his eyes at her.

She visibly faltered, but recovered after a second. Lifting her head to an arrogant posture, she stared him down. "Are you quite finished with me? I need to get dressed."

Inuyasha gave her a defeated smile, once again shaking his head. "Yeah, whatever." He turned his back to her and leaped into the nearest tree.

Kagome quickly dressed herself and returned to camp. Mokuso was kneeling before a still seated Shouron, and they were discussing something. Kikyou was trying to coax Inuyasha down from his tree. Glancing around, she saw many soldiers cleaning up the evidence of their campfires and adjusting their armor for today's travel.

Mokuso soon pulled her out of her thoughts when she walked up to the miko. "Kagome, I wanted to wish you well today. I will be seeing you soon." The scout said warmly.

Kagome's brow furrowed. "Are you leaving?"

The youkai smiled. "Yes, the Eastern Estate is only a day from here. I am going to run ahead and announce your arrival to Lord Dachi. It would not do for you to have to battle the army you are supposed to aid." Her copper eyes held the warmth she felt for the girl in front of her.

Blues eyes widened. "Of course, that makes perfect sense; I just hadn't put much thought to the arrival process. Thank you for all your help, Mokuso. Will I see you when we arrive?" Kagome asked hopefully.

They had not spent a great deal of time together, but the two had become fast friends. Mokuso had a calm demeanor that set Kagome's nerves at ease and a caring spirit that was nothing short of genuine. Kagome supposed the scout found something about herself as well because Mokuso seemed to desire her company as much as Kagome wished to be in the scout's presence.

"When my lord has no more need of me, I will come to you." She smiled at Kagome.

And Kagome returned her smile.

While this conversation was occurring, three brothers watched intently. Kariudo, Kento, and Kinzi observed the mannerisms of the strange human. They were curious; none had ever spoken to them of this woman, yet it was obvious she was deeply involved in their lord's plan. In addition, Lord Sesshoumaru had specifically sent her to protect Shouron in case of an uprising, so she must be considered trustworthy in the eyes of their lord.

Sesshoumaru's trust was not easily won. The brothers noticed her casual manner with General Shouron and the Eastern Scout, but that did nothing but raise more questions. And nothing irritated them more than unanswered questions.

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Sesshoumaru halted his attack. Aishi was breathing deeply; it seemed as if he had succeeded in his attempt to block out the confusion pounding at his defenses. Nodding his approval, the taiyoukai stood and retreated a few steps to allow his general to continue building his inner walls.

It was a setback in their timeframe, but the exercise was necessary. Aishi would be completely at the mercy of anyone with capabilities similar to his. The lord actually wondered how he had survived this long. There were many with emotions so much more profound than his. Then he remembered who he was thinking about, Aishi had a reputation of being fearsome and ruthless.

Apparently Aishi had just killed the one causing his walls to shatter so quickly he didn't have to deal with the intrusion. This would make him stronger and less vulnerable.

The lord had never given such personal attention to training anyone. Yes, he sparred with Kagome in his dojo, but those mornings were not to with the intent to help her. He was perfecting his defense. It had been centuries since his sensei had put him on the defensive, and ever since then, he had use offense as his best defense unless his opponent was drastically weaker than he. Then he could afford to dodge their haphazard attempts to instill their fear before their deaths.

But taking his time to instruct one as he did with his general? Never. He couldn't help but feel a bit proud of how well his general had done with the proper incentives under the taiyoukai's tutelage.

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Kagome released a sigh of relief when the Eastern Citadel came into view. She was beginning to get really sick of the rain. The only break she had from the dismal weather was during those few hours of sleep. It had been a long, boring day, and she was extremely sore from the four day ride.

She tossed a quick glance behind her to see Gooman floating harmlessly in his pink prison. The miko smiled at him only to receive a vicious glare in return.

There was an alternate reason for her relief. In addition to her irritation due to the weather and the aching in her muscles, Kagome felt ill at ease. There was a storm brewing behind them that had nothing to do with the weather. The miko could feel the youkai gathering at their backs to attack the East, and there wasn't much time to prepare. Time was of the essence.

Kirara began her descent to the ground and began running alongside of the other youkai soldiers. Kariudo, Kento, and Kinzi ran only a few yards from her, and she could see Shouron beginning to descend as well. He didn't look so great.

His clothing was askew; his eyes were bloodshot, and his posture was nonexistent as he slumped so far forward Kagome feared he would fall from his cloud. She sent a thankful prayer up to the heavens for allowing their group to reach the Eastern Lands with Shouron conscious. She feared for her friend; he was obviously struggling to maintain his state of awareness.

His night of rest had not allowed him the recovery he so desperately needed.

The forces of from the west reached the treeline and stepped into a huge moat-like clearing which surrounded the huge wooden gate defending the Eastern Manor. Watch towers sprouted from the top gate in evenly spaced lengths, and atop each one was a great bird watching their approach. All of the birds took flight and began circling the interior of the gate, and Kagome saw one dip and land behind the gate.

Shouron was now directly in front of his unit, but he still floated above the ground on a cloud. Rain still pelted the members of his unit; the threatening winds and blazing lightning flashes reached the eastern palace as well. He called for everyone to stop their approach when they were about fifty meters from the gate.

Kagome looked up to see one of the great birds flying towards them. It looked to be some sort of hawk-like creature, but the size was large enough to prey on cattle with no difficulty. It was unsettling to see such a large bird of prey, but Sesshoumaru's true form was larger than this, so Kagome tried not to stare at the sharp talons of the descending creature.

As it landed before Shouron, a great wind reeled over the company as the bird flapped its wings for the last time before coming to a complete halt directly in front of them. The raindrops beaded and rolled off his feathers. The bird stood calmly as his youki soared from beneath his claws, ruffling his brown and black feathers and pushing the raindrops back towards the sky above. No sooner than this occurred, Kagome saw a guard standing before her. His hair was the same sandstone color as his feathers, and his eyes were nearly solid black. Only a thin rim of orange around the outskirts of his eyes showed he did indeed have an iris instead of one overly large pupil.

The youkai bowed and spoke. "General Shouron, my lord is greatly pleased by your presence and is looking forward to greeting you personally. This way please." As he spoke the last line, the great gate opened allowing all passage through.

Once inside the courtyard hidden behind the gate, the guard turned once again to the western travelers. "General Shouron, if your soldiers would follow this path, they will come to the barracks designed for their comfort." It was the polite way to issue an order to men not under his control.

Shouron nodded slightly and all of his troops save the three brothers began to follow the path toward their current residence. The guard sent a curious glance to the youkai contained within a barrier that floated behind one of the human females, but he decided to ignore this for more pressing matters at this time.

The guard seemed ill at ease with so many still in front of him. Kagome, Inuyasha, Kikyou, Kariudo, Kento, and Kinzi all stood behind Shouron awaiting the next phase of entrance. Before the guard could voice his disapproval, Shouron's legs gave out. The storm faded from above their heads, and the general slumped towards the ground.

The brothers quickly surrounded him. Kariudo stood before his general in defense while the twins supported his weight by holding him, one by each of his arms. Kagome let out a worried cry as she knelt before him, checking for any remedy she could provide.

The guard stood shocked at the portrayed weakness of one of Lord Sesshoumaru's strongest warriors. Kagome turned to the guard with a sour face. "What are you waiting for? He needs rest now!" Shaken out of his stupor, he quickly called to two other eastern soldiers standing by the gates.

"Take him to the infirmary." The two tried to take Shouron, but Kinzi and Kento did not allow them to touch their general. Kariudo stood tense beside them. The main guard corrected his statement at that time. "As you will, Western soldiers, follow these two to the infirmary."

The three brothers turned to walk after the general. But Kagome called out to them. "Kariudo, I might be in need of your assistance. Will you stay to audience the Eastern Lord with me?" She asked him politely, but firmly.

The eldest brother sent a look towards his general, silently voicing his priority, but Kagome spoke up quickly. "Inuyasha, Kikyou will you escort Shouron to the infirmary along with Kinzi and Kento? I am certain Shouron will need no protection, but it would set my mind at ease if there are four ensuring his health." As she spoke to the inu and priestess, her eyes were set on Kariudo ensuring his knowledge that her words were for him as well. He nodded to her request as Inuyasha and Kikyou began to follow after the weakened general.

The guard was visably baffled, here was a human female giving orders to youkai, and they were following the commands without disapproval. "My lord has agreed to an audience with the General, not you. We shall wait until the general has recovered." He spoke and began to walk away, but he quickly found himself unable to move. His body was frozen in place.

Kagome walked around to face him. "The Southern and Northern armies gather in order to attack as we speak. There is no time to wait for Shouron's recovery. Speak to your lord and tell him that General Shouron's second in command along with Lord Sesshoumaru's advisor wish to speak with him immediately." The miko made her threat obvious and she released him from her power.

Kariudo's eyes widened with her words, but she set a hand on his arm to warn him not to react. Her words weren't a complete lie. Kariudo was Shouron's second, and Kagome had advised Sesshoumaru on one or two occasions. She never said that she was Sesshoumaru's official advisor, but if the guard assumed this from her statement, she wasn't about to correct him.

A suspicious glance was passed over Kagome by black pupils. "I will speak with my lord." He quipped before turning stiffly and entering the main building.

After the youkai had retreated from hearing range, Kariudo spoke to Kagome. "You take great liberties with your words." His eyes did not stray from watching the door the guard entered.

Kagome smiled and turned to look at him. "None of my words were lies. I have advised Lord Sesshoumaru on several occasions. Let him infer what he will." Kagome said with a confidant yet teasing tone.

Kariudo turned to her with a smirk. "Cunning."

Kagome's smile grew. "Indeed." She said bowing her head slightly in agreement.

The youkai now saw how Shouron and the scout could be so casual with this female, she was easy to talk to and intelligent enough to intrigue a deeper subject. But the smirk soon faded from his lips. "The northern and southern armies?" His voice spoke of his uncertainty regarding the subject.

Her smile faded as well, and she turned back to face the entrance to the Eastern Estate. "None of my words were lies." She reiterated solemnly.

"How long?" He asked slowly.

Kagome was silent for a moment. "One, two days. Two and a half, at most, if they desire stealth."

Kariudo nodded to acknowledge her words as the door opened once again. The guard stood before them at the entrance. "My lord has accepted your request. You two may enter, but he must stay here." The guard motioned to Gooman's still scowling form.

Kagome shook her head. "He is a subject I need to discuss with Lord Dachi. I can assure you, he is contained and cannot escape."

The guard glared at her, but stiffly nodded and allowed them entrance. The four walked down several hallways before reaching a grand set of double doors. They were magnificently illustrated with apainting of the night sky illuminated by a full moon with several white owls depicted in various poses above a snow covered ground.

Upon entrance to the room, Kagome saw a graceful figure seated on a dais. His skin was so white it seemed to radiate light to the area around him. His hair was the same shade as his skin, but sporadic wisps of black fluttered through the tresses. It was styled with his full hair framing his face, and drifting down his chest standing out against the ebony black silk of his garb.

His eyes were the same shade of gold as Sesshoumaru's with one difference. There was no white framing the gold of Lord Dachi's eyes, only a solid gold and a single pupil dangerously obvious against the snowy background of his face.

Kagome and Kariudo bowed before the seated lord, who nodded his head to acknowledge them. His voice carried across the room and echoed off the polished walls. "I extend my apologies as to your general's condition. My healers are tending to him as we speak."

Kariudo bowed once again before responding. "You are most kind Lord Dachi. We are grateful for your hospitalities." His voice was formal.

"As I am grateful for your aid." The lord responded. "I assume you have things which you wish to discuss with me." He invited them to speak their mind.

Kagome bowed, following Kariudo's lead. "We do, Lord Dachi." The lord nodded his permission for her to continue. "The creature behind me is known as Gooman. He is a traitor to Lord Sesshoumaru and attempted a mutiny in our travels to your land. We request a holding cell for him until Lord Sesshoumaru can pass proper judgment on his actions." She asked as formally as she could.

Kagome was intimidated by his stare. It was as if he could see everything, straight down into your soul his eyes bored. But she forced her voice to stay strong.

Dachi nodded once again. "Granted." He raised one of his hands and gestured towards Gooman. Two of his soldiers stepped forward and advanced on the barrier hovering inches above the ground. Kagome released him from his prison, and watched until he was restrained by the two guards.

Kagome turned her attention back to the lord before her, but her timing was awful. She and Kariudo bowed to the lord, just as Gooman broke through his restraints. Kagome opened her eyes as she raised her head and gasped as she saw the irate youkai inches from her.

Her defense attempts were in vain for he lunged past her, dragging a single claw across the tender flesh of her throat. The youkai smiled sadistically for one instant before falling victim to Kariudo's knife embedded in his forehead.

Blood poured from Kagome's severed arteries, before falling backward to the floor. All of this occurred in a matter of seconds, and the inadequate guards stood dumbfounded at the events that their mistake had caused.

Kariudo knelt beside Kagome and watched as the faint glow of Kagome's healing powers tried to heal her before her life fled, but her death came too quickly to be halted and the glow around her throat faded. He tried to reach for her, but his hand was burned as he neared her skin.

Pulling back, he saw a barrier encasing her body. He felt someone come to stand beside him, but he paid no attention. "She protects herself even in death." He whispered in awe.

A powerful voice echoed from above him. "The death of the body is completely different than the death of the soul." Lord Dachi spoke from his position beside Kariudo.

The western soldier looked up at the lord confused, waiting for him to clarify. "The body can be healed or replaced, the soul and its energy cannot." He spoke, still baffling the kneeling soldier, but the lord simply motioned with his head to where Kagome lay.

Kariudo look upon the fallen girl and gasped. She was no longer solid. Her form glowed the pink of a miko's power, but he could see straight through her to the floor she rested on. The blood that had spilled from her neck was now absent from her skin, clothing, and hair, and she shimmered weakly.

"Kagome?" Kariudo spoke weakly.

Lord Dachi placed a hand on his shoulder as he spoke. "She is rebuilding; give her time." The lord took a step back to allow for Kariudo to stand, which he did. He stood before the lord dazed with his confusion, and Dachi smiled gently at him. "The girl will be fine in a short time. Leave her be for now."

Kariudo glanced back at her again, but soon turned to follow the lord's command. He walked over to the dead traitor and ripped his knife from Gooman's skull wishing he could have given the bastard a slower and more painful death. It was too late now, so he was forced to settle for wiping his blade on the dead youkai's clothing.

Gathering his shattered composure, Kariudo turned to the Eastern Lord who stood only paces from him. "Please accept my humblest apologies for the disruption we have caused with our presence." The formality was pushed through gritted teeth because he was still anxious at Kagome's condition.

He heard the lord laugh softly. "There is no need to hide your discomfort, western soldier, I know of it already. You have my word that she will be fine; there is no need to worry. May we continue with your audience?" His voice was softer than it had been earlier to silently offer his condolences on the traumatic event.

Walking with the lord, Kariudo approached the dais at the forefront of the room. Lord Dachi elegantly ascended the stairs and took a seat once again, and Kariudo knelt on a pillow provided at the bottom of the stairs. The two began their discussion of the upcoming war.

Kagome opened her eyes, and blinked a few times. She was lying on the ground looking up at a polished black ceiling. It was deceiving. The color made the ceiling appear low, but the echo in the room proved the great height of the room. 'Echo?' Kagome thought when she registered the sound of two males discussing something to her side.

She turned her head to see Kariudo kneeling before Lord Dachi's raised dais. Then the prior events came crashing back to her. She quickly turned her head to see where Gooman was, but all she saw was a servant near her cleaning up a bloodstain that was only a meter or so from the place she had fallen.

'Did I die? Shouldn't I be dead?' Kagome thought, very disturbed that this was what the afterlife would contain.

Slowly she rose to her feet, and began to walk towards her companion. One foot slowly outreached the other as she shifted her weight, gradually regaining her bearing. She looked up towards her intended target, she was now close enough to see Dachi's less obvious features.

Black feathery stripes extended across his temples, beginning from the corner of his eyes to reach up into his hairline then curving around the edge of his forehead only to dip towards the bridge of his nose on either side. It gave him the appearance of wearing a mask. Kagome was immediately reminded of the pictures she had seen of owls in the powdery snow of winter on the doors to this hall.

She could hear Kariudo speaking, but she hadn't registered what he was saying. All she heard were the muffled voices until she heard Dachi's clear voice reach out to her.

"Lady Kagome, you join us at last. Please make yourself comfortable." He bowed deeply to her then gestured towards a pillow next to Kariudo who spun quickly to stare at her.

She was still dazed, but she could read his expression clearly. He was relieved but confused, and he quickly stood to help her sit down. She smiled at him softly and nodded her appreciation.

Her throat was tight, but she forced words through it. "Lord Dachi, there is no need to address me as such."

Dachi smiled gently at her. "Are you not the keeper of the Shikon no Tama?" He asked confidently.

Kagome gasped, and Kariudo was once again confused beyond limits. The miko quickly bowed her head. "I was formerly one of its protectors, yes, Lord Dachi."

"Then you shall be addressed as such, Lady Kagome." He spoke.

"But that role has passed with the passing of the jewel, milord. Please do not call me such." She requested.

Dachi closed his eyes. "Yes, the jewel is gone, milady. But you are still worthy of such title for bearing its burden as you have. I have heard many things of you, and I am pleased to see that none of those rumors are false." His eyes opened, and a soft smile formed on his thin lips.

Kagome sent him a puzzled gaze. "I don't understand, Lord Dachi."

He nodded again, expecting her response. "We have much to discuss, you and I, Lady, but first I believe we still have a discussion to finish on an upcoming war. Do we not?"

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A/N: Ok, its story time you guys…(yes, that means this is gonna be REALLY LONG).

Warning: I'm planning on going back and making adjustments/improvements to the first chapters. Why? Because they stink! A few of you noticed and commented on how different the first part of my story is from the last, it all has to do with the origin of this fic.

It started off as a dare. No, I had no intention of making this a huge epic fiction. The first chapter was in response to a "bet you can't do it" thing that I typed up one night when I couldn't sleep before an exam. I didn't even proofread it. _Sigh_ Now I wish I had put much more thought into the beginning, but it really wasn't until around the fifth chapter when I started proofreading and conjuring my plot. So I intend to go back and fix things. I'm going to make a few minute changes to how Kagome got her powers, but nothing dramatic, so if you don't want to go back and re-read, you'll still understand what's going on. So don't get pissy if you see that my story has been updated, but no new chapter is present. K?

ALSO…….VERY IMPORTANT! I got many reviews commenting on Kagome's attitude/personality last chapter. Yes, I know that she is not so cruel, and that was very OOC for her. But guys, if you've followed my fic for the most of forty chapters, you should know that I don't do ANYTHING in my stories without thinking them through first. I have not given you any clue of what's going on in her mind except for the one conversation with Mokuso. Everything else is COMPLETELY hidden to you guys. It won't be that way for long, but PLEASE TRUST ME. Kagome is the hardest to keep in character for me, but I would never go off the deep end as I did last chapter without something to back it up with later.

Last note, I promise: I love each and every singly review I get from you guys. You are so Awesome, and I am Amazed at how Supportive you are of my fic. But there's no way I can continue answering your reviews as I have. I took me four hours to do so last time, and that was grouping the reviews that had similar questions and comments. Forgive me, but I cannot spare that much of my time anymore or I will fail my courses. So unless there are specific questions that I feel the need to answer personally, I really can't respond anymore.

I feel horrible because I really enjoyed doing it, but my schedule will not allow it anymore. _pouts_


	40. Remnants of a Dream

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 40 Remnants of a Dream

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His muscles had been completely washed away, he just knew it. Well, that wasn't entirely true, if he was still in this much pain, that had to mean that his body was still present. He just wished it wasn't currently. But Shouron was one of Lord Sesshoumaru's highest ranking generals, and he would show no discomfort because of his ignorance of who surrounded him.

He sensed several around him, but whether they were friend or foe, he was still too disoriented to tell. Someone came near to him, and he felt something moist against his forehead. A rustling was heard above his head, and he wondered what could be happening. Cracking one eye open against the pain searing through his body, he popped both eyes open upon realization of what he was looking at. Shouron blushed slightly at the female's chest that was inches above his nose.

Shouron coughed slightly and tried to turn his head, only to be racked with the ache of his body.

The female above him stiffened when she realized he was awake, and exactly where his eyes were. Quickly she grabbed all the herbs she could fit in her hands from the shelf above his head, no longer searching for the right one, and backed away from him. A blush was clearly spread across the features of her face and neck.

The general tried to apologize, but all that emerged from his throat was a hoarse exhale. He could see how uncomfortable the girl was as she shifted from one foot to the other, trying to find the words to address him. Whether she was shy, or embarrassed, or mad, he couldn't discern properly right now.

He had barely registered her appearance. She had short black hair with bangs that framed her face. Her eyes were downcast inspecting the various leaves and bottles held in her hands, and her face seemed so innocent at that moment in the midst of the awkwardness of the previous seconds. Her garb was strange to him. From the waist up, it appeared to be a regular black kimono with a blue underlayer, but below the waist was not traditional at all. The black oversilk peeled to the sides, covering her hips which exposed the blue layer upfront. And both layers stopped halfway down her thigh.

It was indecent; it was immoral, and it was very flattering to the apparently modest girl. He almost smiled at the image, but it hurt too much to coordinate his face to do so.

Not able to bare the silence anymore, the girl looked off to the side. Her voice rang out across the room. "He's awake. You may see him now, if you wish." Shouron heard her say, before she made a quick exit.

He wanted to stop her, but he couldn't. His voice was still inoperative at the moment. Before he could make another move, Kinzi, Kento, Kikyou, and Inuyasha made their way to his side to ensure his health and comfort.

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Their talk had been very informative and productive. Strategies had been exchanged, and it seemed everything had come to order in regards to the upcoming battle. And now, now was time to rest. Kagome was looking forward to a restful night minus arrogant demons and rocks digging into her side.

Lord Dachi stood with Kagome and Kariudo and escorted them down the hallways. Both of the Western House were surprised to have the lord of the manor offer to personally show them to their rooms, but they would not insult him by declining his offer.

The three turned down a hallway with many rooms, and Dachi turned to them in front of one of the doors. "Lady Kagome, this will be your room for the extent of your stay." He spoke gently with a slight bow.

Before the males could turn to continue down the hallway, Kagome called out to stop them. "Lord Dachi." The addressed turned to face her, and she continued. "What about the rest of our companions? Where will they be staying?" She didn't want to accept such comfort without knowing that Kikyou, Inuyasha, Kento, Kinzi, and Shouron would receive comfortable beds as well.

Dachi's slender face soon held a smile with her concern. "They will be residing in the same hallway, Lady. They are still in the infirmary tending to General Shouron." His tone was that of a loving parent.

Kagome chewed on her lip at his statement. "May I see Shouron?" She asked with newly bloomed worry. She figured the strength of the general would return quickly, but if he was still in the infirmary…worry overcame her.

The lord's smile faded. "You need rest, Lady. I assure you, your general is in capable hands." He reprimanded her. He knew the journey was exhausting, and with her expended energy, she desperately needed the rest, though she did not know this as of yet.

She dropped her head a bit, and nodded. Dachi realized she wouldn't be able to rest anyways because of her worry. He sighed, and called to halt her entrance into the room. "Lady Kagome, wait."

The miko turned to him and gasped as her eyes connected with his. She was spellbound, unable to move. His golden eyes began to swirl and gradually took on a darker shade. The swirling vortex of his eyes projected before his face, and Kagome was looking into a picture. The image in front of her was Shouron. He lay upon a mattress, sleeping solidly. Kinzi and Kento were only feet from him actively watching over him.

Kikyou and Inuyasha were sitting against the wall on pillows off to the side. Her incarnation was leaning on the former hanyou's shoulder sleeping soundly, and snuggled against Inuyasha's other side was Kirara taking a much needed cat nap.

Just as quickly as it had appeared, the image was gone, and Kagome was left breathless and disoriented until the lord's voice broke through her trance. "See, Lady Kagome? There is no need to worry; Shouron is in need of nothing. Now rest, you will need your strength with the impending battle." Dachi motioned towards the door with a slender hand emblazoned with short black talons.

Kagome smiled at him in thanks and turned to enter her room. Dachi walked past a curious Kariudo, and stopped at the room next to Kagome's, gesturing to the soldier.

Kariudo reached to open the door, but the lord stopped him by laying his hand across the soldier's wrist. Kariudo looked up at the lord as he was addressed.

"Kariudo, these two rooms were not given to you without reason. A door connecting the two rooms is present, and you may have need to use it." Dachi took a breath before explaining, and Kariudo was casting him an indignant glance. "During the solitude of night, one has the time to truly think and reflect upon things. Her existence very nearly ended this day, and because of this, many unpleasant perceptions may revisit her." Lord Dachi was stern in his declaration.

Kariudo was shocked, and he stuttered slightly over his words. "I…What does this have to do with connected rooms?" He questioned baffled and fearful of what the lord was insinuating.

Dachi smiled regretfully. "I have knowledge of what took place, and I will explain everything in the morning. It is her responsibility to make it through this night with her sanity intact. It is my sincere hope that she will not harm herself, but if she does make the attempt…that is why your rooms are connected, Kariudo." The lord's face clearly showed his concern before he turned and retreated to his own chambers for the evening.

The soldier's eyes widened as the full impact of those words registered. He sent furtive glances down the hallway, and quickly entered his assigned room. This night he would get very little sleep, anxiety wouldn't allow that luxury.

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Sesshoumaru and Aishi had come far in their journey, but the distance they traveled held nothing in comparison to the bond that had been created between them. Aishi had been exposed to his lord's deepest thoughts, turmoil, and memories, yet Sesshoumaru knew no fear of being exposed by his general.

Why? Because Aishi had learned offensive maneuvers as well. The general perfected projecting things through Sesshoumaru's barriers to strengthen both his lord and himself by throwing his own experiences into his lord's calculating mind.

A trust had been found and shared between them greater than anything either had ever partaken in before. But that still didn't help boost Aishi's courage any in confronting him on the topic he was about to breach.

Taking a deep breath, the general began. "She is a very powerful woman, stronger than most female youkai. There is no shame in your feelings." Aishi spoke quickly in an uncharacteristic rush of breath.

Sesshoumaru was silent for the briefest pause before his statement. "It is not to be discussed, Aishi. You may share my thoughts at times, but my life and its choices are my own." He spoke decidedly, trying to end the conversation before it began. He kept his body turned away from his general as if hiding.

But Aishi was not satisfied with his words. "She is human, my lord, but with her fighting at your side, you will not fall as your father before you." He knew the reaction he would get; he knew of the rage Sesshoumaru held about the topic of his father and his shameful downfall.

The taiyoukai spun, eyes flashing red briefly. His voice was whisper soft, but the threat it held was more powerful than holding a blade to the general's throat. "But I have already fallen, Aishi. Someone else is head of my palace; another spends his evenings in my chambers while we are here in this forest. Tell me how I will not fall again, general."

Aishi raised his head to cast an arrogant look to his lord. "And it is by her grace that we stand amongst the living. It is by her strategy and distraction in the east that we may be able to tear the throat from the one in your chambers. Remember that, milord."

With an uncharacteristic snarl, Sesshoumaru turned from his subordinate. "You should learn your place, Aishi." His voice was still harsh, but the threat was no longer present.

The general's voice dropped. "I have always provided my counsel to you when I thought it relevant, Lord Sesshoumaru." Aishi began to move towards the Western Estate once again, but he stopped and spoke to his lord. "A human lifetime is insignificant to us, milord. I don't see why you won't indulge yourself for such a brief expanse of time." This time, his voice was the one holding to a whisper, but the tone held no threat, only the sorrow of loss, as if the sorrow of his lord's loss was reflected within his own voice.

Sesshoumaru heard every nuance of his whisper, and knew exactly what Aishi was thinking. He could not hold his voice even when he replied to the words spoken. "Perhaps that is the very reason I do not act, Aishi."

Hearing those words, Aishi turned to him again, but he could not think of a reply. His confusion was so evident on his face that his lord chose to clarify his statement.

"Could you withhold your sanity watching the scout whither away with age while you remain forever? And when she was gone, could you move on as if never affected?" His voice was sturdy, barely restraining the tension of his vocal chords. He began sprinting once again towards his former and future home.

Aishi couldn't contain the gasp that tore from his throat at Sesshoumaru's declaration. He hadn't thought of it the way it was presented, and now his saw the logic of his lord's inaction.

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Darkness. It surrounded her on every side; it was both comforting and threatening. Confusing. The shadows wrapped around her, hiding her from everything, saving her from the monsters she felt creeping through the room. But that same darkness that hide her hid other things as well.

It covered any threat, any creeping thing which might want her for evil reasons.

Kagome shivered. She was never really afraid of the dark, but at this moment, every ounce of confidence she had gathered over time slipped away. She felt helpless. The miko always hated feeling helpless, but huddled into her covers, she couldn't help but feel like a child scared of what lay under the bed or in the closet.

She hated this, but with her nerves as raw as they were, she couldn't calm herself down. Kagome was almost hysterical with the invisible threats that were looming around her. The sound of something heavy hitting the floor caused Kagome to jump and yelp from under the covers.

Her scream alerted Kariudo next door, and he burst into the room claws bared on one hand, and the other gripping a knife. The light from his room blazed behind him, shadowing his face from the miko's sight.

Kagome shrieked at the silhouette of a stranger holding a knife only paces from her. The screams continued until Kariudo called out her name, struggling to calm her. Her voice stilled in her throat, but the rise and fall of her breathing was too quick. Kagome struggled to get her body under control.

The soldier stood immobile, unwilling to move lest he scare her into hysterics again. The terror which had just animated Kagome now fled, allowing her to think upon her actions just moments ago.

Fear turned to humor, and she couldn't stop the laughter that spilled from her throat. Kariudo was relieved at the loss of her fear, but her sudden change urged him to worry still. "Kagome, are you alright?"

Silence; the laughter stopped abruptly. Everything fled from her, no adrenaline, no fear, no humor, only confusion. She looked into his shadowed face. "Kariudo, what's happening to me?" True sorrow showed in her eyes.

He sheathed his knife, and took a step closer to her. He honestly had no clue of what was going on, and he was not someone who was comfortable with such displays of emotion. But Dachi's words still rang in his head. Her sanity was at stake; he could not physically help her keep it, but emotionally, maybe there was something he could do.

"Trauma such as you experienced today often has abnormal reactions. Do not worry so, Kagome. Be calm, and let sleep heal you." His voice was as soothing as he could consciously make it, and he took another step towards her.

Kagome watched him step closer to her, and she was suddenly aware that he was no longer wearing his outer layer. With that layer gone, Kagome was left staring at his bare chest. His obi was gone, and without that sash, the soldier was left with only his hips and legs covered before her. Her in a bed, dressed inappropriately for bed, in her bedroom for the evening.

She tensed. Kariudo followed her eyes, saw the tension fill her muscles, watched her clutched the sheet closer to her body. Realizing her reasoning, he took a step backwards. "Forgive me for the intrusion, Lady. I thought only of your safety. I meant no embarrassment. I will return to my chambers now." He backed up slowly.

As he left, Kagome's fear began to crawl over her again. "Kariudo, wait."

He stopped, and turned towards her. "Yes, Lady?" He held the formalities between them, hoping to put distance between them. He thought this might ease her more.

Kagome's face dropped. "I'm scared." Her eyes pierced his as she looked up. "I've never been this terrified of anything, and I can't sense a single thing around me. What is happening to me?" Her breathing picked up again.

Holding her gaze, he spoke. "I do not know, Lady Kagome."

The soldier watched her cringe as she spoke, not able to look him in the eyes. "Will you stay?"

Shock ran through him at her words. He hesitated a moment. "I do not think that wise milady. Inappropriate rumors may spread."

Kagome visibly swallowed. "I will sleep on the floor; I don't care. Please don't leave." Tears slipped down her cheeks.

Kariudo still held Dachi's words in his memory, but he was a soldier of Lord Sesshoumaru. His lord allowed no relations among his troops while they were on duty, and rumors of such would have him severely punished. But her eyes pleaded with him.

His head dropped. "I will stay until you fall asleep. After that, I must leave." Kagome started to crawl out from under the covers to the floor, but Kariudo stopped her. "Stay where you are, Lady. I will sit on the floor until you find rest." Kagome nodded and burrowed back under her blankets.

Kariudo couldn't believe the scene that was just played out. The miko who effortlessly defeated one of Lord Sesshoumaru's trained warriors was reduced to a child before him. Her strength challenged his brothers and him; her confidence allowed her to give orders to those who should be her superiors. And now? Now he could practically smell her weakness. What was happening within her?

Dachi's warning caused him anxiety earlier, but now, now he feared he might fail. Failure to protect her was not an option. General Shouron would be frightfully upset, and Lord Sesshoumaru would be cross at losing such a valuable weapon. But more than that, Kariudo didn't want to fail because of himself. A sense of loss hollowed out an area inside of him. He didn't know her well; it was hard to call her a friend, but he knew he could if he wished. Despite all that, a niggling feeling told him he would miss her if she left.

The realization left him unsettled, but he didn't have to think on it more because he could hear Kagome's slow, even breathing. She was asleep, and he could make his escape.

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Darkness surrounded her again, but there was light. Small sources of light above her, the calming sound of waves rushing to the shore, flooding her being. Kagome opened her eyes and looked around her.

But the scenery wasn't the first thing she saw. Eyes, golden eyes, Sesshoumaru's cold, emotionless eyes stared back at her, but they weren't real. She could focus past them, see through them. They lay over the scene before her like a dying illusion; she focused past them, and they faded.

Tides rushed to the shore on which she stood, but there was something wrong. The waves never reached the sand. White caps of waves rose to invade the land, but they were stopped short. As they ceased moving, they faded, disappeared as if they were never there. But the sound, the sound continued for their partners. The sound rushed forward for the waves and crashed against the sand.

Kagome shivered at the incomplete image. Her gaze rose to the sky above her, and a gasp tore from her throat. The stars, they were broken. Broken? The thought sounded wrong to all logic, but looking at the heavenly bodies above her…broken was the right term. The stars were cracked or partial as if someone had taken a hammer to them. Pieces were missing on some of them; the edges of others were uneven as if the two halves were slipping away from each other.

Her attention to the star's sorrow let her miss other things. Other things like the crack that was shifting across the very sky that held the broken stars. But her attention was drawn to the sky as the metallic sound of stress grew louder as the crack spread across the sky. The very heavens shattered at that moment. Kagome gasped and covered her head with her arms. Pieces of the sky fell like shattered fragments of a mirror, falling around her. She was forced to duck to avoid getting cut.

But how can you avoid the sky falling around you? A gash ripped through her forearm. A crimson trail of blood flowed down her arm, and Kagome had to watch, was forced to watch her own body bleed. The scarlet trail glowed, not the glow of her healing power…but other. No longer scarlet, her blood glowed the neon red of modern signs. What was happening to her?

But her blood was not the only thing that glowed. Her attention was attracted to radiant object in the distance. White, the radiant white light of an angel reflected off the now broken black mirror of the sky.

She walked as if driven to the light. As Kagome neared the light, it was no longer an object, but Sesshoumaru. His hair, his clothes, his skin everything about him glowed with the light, but it wasn't only illumination now. It was power. She glanced at her arm again, the wound had closed, but the blood remained on her skin, still glowing, still powerful.

Frightened eyes turned to Sesshoumaru before her, but the cold, emotionless eyes she had stared through only moments ago were no longer so. His eyes held the passion she had seen on only one occasion. Passion, but nothing else? Or was there more in his depths?

'Is he capable? Does he love? His armies? His land? Me? Could he love me? Or did he release only a passion he held for any woman who came to his arms?' Kagome's silent thoughts rushed through her jumbled mind.

Doubt overcame her staring into his eyes, and she dropped her gaze. A single clawed finger raised her chin to stare into his eyes again, and she was lost. Pulled into the depths of his eyes. He leaned forward, his eyes focused on her lips, but before he could close the distance a bell sounded.

A deep, resonate tone sounded through the scene causing everything but Kagome to ripple as a lake catching a stone. Even Sesshoumaru's finger, face, body, everything rippled and vanished.

Nothing remained except the invisible bell. It rang again and sent its deep tones shuddering through her. It sounded like a death knell. A dirge.

Death? The thought echoed across the vast darkness like the words unleashed on the cold, emptiness of space. It rang out across her mind like thunder across a still lake.

She died, didn't she? She had felt the claws sever her flesh. Felt the blood rushing down her chest, felt the increased heart rate caused by her fear, sending her life's blood rushing from her body from the severed arteries, and the life draining from her...sapping her strength. Then she felt nothing, the severed nerves in her neck saved her some pain before her life was snuffed out like a candle.

Kagome woke with a gasp, breathing like she had been submerged in water for far too long. Her dream, if you could call it a dream, was fresh in her memory. But she didn't want to remember. It was too confusing, too real, but not real. It was so unrealistic, so surreal, but the feelings, the emotions that drove it were so true.

Kagome was so frustrated she almost screamed. What was happening to her?

A light flashed in her room, sharp like the sun across a blade. Her eyes whipped across the room to a mirror. A full length mirror stood in the corner of the room reflecting the light of the moon from a window, but then the moon vanished behind a cloud leaving the room in darkness again.

She didn't remember crawling towards the mirror, but now she kneeled before it, staring into its reflection. But she saw nothing, her eyes were too focused inward on other things, remnant thoughts of the dream.

When she woke up this afternoon, no one was around her...completely alone, save for the servant cleaning the pooled blood from the floor. No one healed her, or did they? Wouldn't she have seen them upon her awakening? Wouldn't they have stayed to ensure her health? But no one was there...does that mean she healed herself? Even in the hands of Death, she healed herself? She consciously tried to heal herself in the final seconds of her life...but it had proved too late. There were too many things her power was trying to heal from such a deep wound in too short a span, arteries, windpipe, nerves, spinal cord, with only seconds before her life fled; the pain from her wounds and the lack of blood caused her vision to cloud as she fainted.

How could she have healed herself...she was scared of the answer. Did her power follow her command even after she could no longer carry it out herself? Or worse...did her power have its own will, will her strength not allow her death?

It caused Kagome to tremble. She didn't want immortality. She liked her mortal lifespan. She would grow old and die...her children would bury her as she would eventually bury her grandfather and mother. That was the order of things...nothing should sever that. But immortality would. She would be forced to live through her family and friends dying around her, and she...she would remain. Alone.

She shook her head convincing herself that it wasn't true. That she was just imagining things. That she would live a normal life when her time under Sesshoumaru had ended.

Normal. What is normal? Normal is not what she was. Normal is never what she was...well, after her fifteenth birthday. Time travel and epic battles with demons and a hanyou is not normal. And even despite that...even if she could convince herself to relinquish those memories and forget everything to blend into her era, being able to manifest power such as she was capable of...was not normal.

Her eyes fell to the ground as her shoulders slumped. She was anything but normal. She would never be able to fit anywhere. Even in the Sengoku Jidai where demons roamed the land in constant battle for power, she was not normal. She was a human with power to rival the strongest demons. She was not normal.

She belonged no where.

She had escaped death, but maybe she would have been better there. She violently shook her head, what was wrong with her? Life is something to be cherished, why had she suddenly had a change in her thoughts?

Life. She had taken countless lives under Sesshoumaru's roof. All those soldiers, those traitors...she had killed many of them. Purified their demonic souls...their screams of agony echoed through her head with that thought. And she winced.

Only yesterday...she had taunted, manipulated...mocked a youkai, reveling in her power to destroy him.

Her hands started shaking. What had happened to her? She shook her head violently, trying to expel her disturbing thoughts; then she raised her head and came face to face with haunted blue eyes.

Her own reflection stared back at her.

It was like two halves of a whole, her eyes were haunted, but in the same breath she could say there was confidence reflected within her posture. Kagome had never really had true confidence, not before her power came to her. She was two different people now. One was confident, a warrior, someone who had gained the power no mortal could boast. But there was still that haunted teenager hidden in the depths of her eyes. The clumsy girl who had the talent to evade her enemies claws with her lack of grace, tripping at the perfect time. The unsteady archer who could infuse the power of ancient miko's into her arrows. The loving girl who hated to kill anything even the most evil of creatures.

But which image did Sesshoumaru care for, love? She grew angry at the thought that slipped to the surface. Kagome kneeled before a mirror facing her own identity crisis, and the first thought out of her head was about Sesshoumaru. Why?

The remnants of her dream? No. Kagome was not that naïve. She knew why her thoughts turned to him, but she didn't want them to have anything to do with the stoic lord. Kagome didn't want to love him, didn't want to read the emotions in his eyes, didn't want to be the one to make his stone mask crack with a smile. She wanted to set her life right first.

She was falling apart in front of the mirror before her, and she was worried what would please her lord. Anger filled her, and she held onto that anger like a lifeline, for she wished to feel nothing else. No confusion over the one she hated to love, no sorrow that she fell in love with someone incapable of loving her, no ignorance for not realizing she was falling until is was too late to retreat; she wanted to feel none of those. So she became angry, angry at his arrogance, angry at her stupidity, angry at her reflection. The reflection that forced her to look deeper into herself than she had ever wanted to see.

Before she realized what she was doing, her fist connected with the mirror, and it shattered as the sky had shattered in her dream.

Her eyes widened as she realized what she had done. Cracks spread across the mirror, distorting her image. At this time, the moon escaped its cloudy prison, and cast its light into the room. Kagome's pale skin was caught in the lunar rays, and what was fair in sunlight glowed, shimmered in the moonlight. Glancing back to the mirror, she gasped. Her illuminated face bared a strong resemblance to the broken stars in her dream. She pulled her gaze from the mirror and stared down at her hand. Rivulets of blood ran from her knuckles.

Blood fled from its prison beneath her skin, and she just watched. Helplessly, she watched her life's fluid begin to pool on the floor around her outstretched hand. Tiny sparkles of glass reflected from her hand where shards had embedded themselves within her skin. Stretching her fingers, she felt the glass pierce her skin deeper. She gasped, still staring at her bloodied hand.

Foreign fingers wrapped around her wrist, and another hand gently pressed against her elbow helping her to stand. Kagome turned her hand to see Kariudo staring down at the hand he had pulled before his face.

"We need to get this cleaned. There is still glass clinging to the wounds." He spoke with the detachment of a doctor as he pulled her towards the wash basin near the mirror.

Kagome slowly began to grasp everything around her as the sharp pains of the glass in her hand helped to clear her confused mind. She watched the battle callused hands of Kariudo gently pull the shards from her skin with his claws. And she was grateful, glad he was here despite the obvious weakness she was showing to such a warrior.

His voice pierced the final bit of haze surrounding her. "Forgive me, Lady. I should not have left you alone. This is my fault." His last words were but a whisper.

Kagome's voice rang out clear through the oppressing silence. "No, Kariudo. This was something you couldn't have stopped. It needed to be done." Kagome was solemn with her thoughts returning to the realizations the mirror held for her.

Kariudo did not like the tone she held, so he spoke to her as if it was one of his brothers who had done this as a child. "Yes, the treacherous mirror needed to be punished for its crimes, but in the end you ended up with more pain for yourself." His tone was solid, and his face was even.

Kagome was silent for a second, contemplating his words, searching his face. Her eyes widened. "Kariudo, did you just make a joke?" Her shock was evident before she began laughing.

His lips raised slightly, the shadow of a smile. He let her joy fade before he spoke again. "Are you alright, Kagome?" His face was still towards her wounded hand, and his eyes were focused, but his words were sincere.

Kagome smiled; it was smile and didn't reach her eyes, but she tried. "Let us hope so, Kariudo, but I am better than I was."

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Sesshoumaru and Aishi covered their presence and closed in on the Western Fortress. There was a secret passageway that the lord planned to use to enter unnoticed. It was located towards the back of the wall surrounding his ancestral home. The passage did not lead to anywhere of great importance, but it would do for a discreet entrance. Once they breached the wall and entered the estate, there were other passages to get anywhere within his home…anywhere except his chambers.

No true lord would have a passageway that lead into their private quarters. It was an unwritten invitation to assassins, for if anyone found it, death would be harder to avoid. Only those who wished a quick escape may have a hidden tunnel from their chambers out of the estate, but Sesshoumaru was no coward. If someone wished to attack his home, he would stand with his soldiers and fight. He would not run.

Or that had been the reasoning behind the layout of his ancestral home; however, Kagome's defiance had complicated things. It was no matter now. Aishi and Sesshoumaru would have to directly enter the lord's chambers. Neither had a problem with that plan. Neither would cower before Rokoshi, but they couldn't just rush into things either.

Sesshoumaru was hard pressed not to storm through his home and make the traitors pay, but he was more intelligent than that. He knew someone was behind the coordinated attacks, and he also knew that he would not be secure in his power until the magistrate was broken and bleeding before him.

A smile fought to the surface at that thought. Rokoshi's new master had a truly heinous death to which he should look forward.

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I know I've been promising action for quite a while now…and its coming. Yippee! I'm so much more comfortable with pain and gore than writing the emotional stuff, which means the vulnerability that I've provided my characters with was a bitch to write! I loved every second of re-reading it…but still…writing it almost hurt.

Some of you may be wondering why I disappeared for so long...well, I could not sit up for about a month. Bed rest SUCKS, especially if you're as active as I usually am. A word of advice to anyone who will listen…

If you catch a dismissible virus that all your friends get over within 2 days, and you still have it after a week and a half…Something is wrong. Be smarter than I, and GO TO THE DOCTOR! If my mom hadn't dragged my (un)happy ass out of bed, and threw me (almost literally) into the doctors office…I might not be here right now. There's something about this time of year that always gets me REALLY sick…two years ago it was pneumonia, last year: mononucleuosis…well, at least next year I'll be prepared, right?

I'll answer reviews throughout the rest of the week, and hopefully I'll get another chapter posted by Sunday to apologize for my extended leave. No promises, though, I'm still pretty weak. I'm just now getting my appetite back; liquid diets just don't give you a whole lot of energy. Sigh.

Oh, also...quick note/disclaimer: inspiration for the dream scene came from the song "Wonder" by Megan McCauley, and since that's not my name...I don't own the song!


	41. Darkness

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 41 Darkness

Disclaimer: Just a renewal…I don't own Inuyasha or any of his affiliates within the anime or manga. Also, the newest character, Darkness, is a product of the imagination of Laurel K Hamilton. So, yeah, I don't own him either.

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Sesshoumaru was beginning to get frustrated, though no one could tell from his outward image. He and Aishi had been within these walls for two days, and their plan had not worked thus far. The anonymous figure behind the treacherous upheavals was still just that: anonymous. None they had encountered knew anything about Rokoshi's master; nothing was known, not where his origins lay, not skills, not even his appearance.

And it had been two days. Two days within his former home, two days within scent range of his betrayer, two days of patience that the taiyoukai did not wish to grant. Rokoshi was dead; he walked, he talked, but he was dead. He just did not know it yet. His death was sealed the moment Sesshoumaru knew of his treachery. And yet the former lord knew exactly where he stood, breathed, this instant and he still lived.

Irritation was grinding against him, but Aishi and Sesshoumaru had agreed upon their plan. They would stick to it until they met in private to discuss other options.

The plan which seemed to be ineffective was beautiful in its simplicity. Sesshoumaru, who had the most powerful magic, would slip through the hallways, just an invisible breeze passing. He was to follow Rokoshi and those closest to him to learn anything they could of when, where, and how they met with the mastermind behind this ordeal.

All the while, Aishi would be stirring dissent in the lands. Rokoshi had told the soldiers of Sesshoumaru's death, but only a massive field of dead youkai was used as proof. Samon was the only general found amongst the dead. The warriors of the Western Lands were strong and most were very loyal. The fact that both Aishi and Shouron were absent from the field along with no trace remains of their lord caused a great suspicion amongst them.

Aishi and his abilities came in handy here. When he came across a lone soldier that he recognized, he would reveal himself, tell the youkai the truth, and bid him leave the estate and gather Sesshoumaru's followers from the bordering villages and forests, summoning those who were on leave. This would have been considered absolutely foolish without Aishi's mental capacities, but since he could read what the soldier intended to do with the information, there was little cause for worry.

If the warrior truly planned on doing Aishi's bidding, then the general showed him to the hidden exit he and Sesshoumaru had used to secretly enter the estate. If the youkai was loyal to Rokoshi and intended to tell the new lord that Aishi was within the Western Fortress, the youkai wouldn't even see the claws that came for his head.

The bloody carcass was left in the open to notify Rokoshi that there was indeed something wrong. Sesshoumaru knew his generals well enough to know what Rokoshi would do. Rokoshi would grow nervous with the growing fatalities among his people.

He would call on the only one he felt could handle the situation, the one he answered to, his master. And that's what Sesshoumaru and Aishi were waiting for…a chance to meet with the magistrate of the deceit.

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"I assume you have many questions, Lady Kagome." Lord Dachi spoke gently as he walked.

Kagome instantly grew nervous. The two were walking through the Eastern Lord's peaceful garden sanctuary. Sunlight streamed down upon them through broad leaves and brilliant petals. The entire scene was like something out of a fairy tale, but Kagome was not enchanted.

Kariudo had revealed to her that Dachi knew what had happened to her, was happening to her, and that the lord intended to speak with her about it today. But now he tells her to ask her questions. Kagome didn't want to ask questions. She didn't know enough of what was happening to know what questions to ask. She was frustrated with all the emotions from last night still driving her; she yearned for the peace that filled her earlier in her journey.

She was frustrated at that time too, what with an arrogant taiyoukai throwing her into the floor and walls all in the name of training, but at least then, she knew what to expect. She once believed that the only certain things in life were the passage of time and death. Now the 'passage of time' bit seemed to be the only steady thing in her life, but even that could be tampered with, ancient wells sending you five centuries into the past can make a girl question even that concept.

So nothing grounded her; there was no steady thing in her life to anchor her. Depressing, but true.

She glanced at her companion then back to the ground before her feet. Dachi seemed as if nothing in the world could ruffle him, and Kagome envied that calm demeanor. She licked her lips and tossed out the first question her brain could bring up.

"What happened to me yesterday?" Kagome spoke in a near whisper. Her voice had suddenly gone hoarse.

Dachi looked up into the leave-filtered sunlight and spoke. "You nearly died." He said as if he had just told her of the weather. No one could tell by the tone that he felt anything towards her near death in his courtroom.

Kagome swallowed audibly. "Why didn't I? What kept me from dying?" She spoke with more force, but her voice still shook.

The Eastern Lord kept his pace as they walked through the garden path. His gaze never touched the girl beside him as he answered her inquiries. "Your energy, power, aura, whatever you wish to call it. The power flowing through your veins brought you back from an early death." This time his volume dropped a bit, but his inflection still spoke of indifference.

Kagome stood silently for a moment. Dachi paused his walk briefly, but never so much as glanced at her. "But how?" Kagome stuttered finally.

She heard the lord pull in a heavy breath before his sharp gaze settled on her. "You are familiar with the cycle of existence to which we are all subject, are you not?"

She blinked at him, not sure which cycle he could be referring to…there were so many. Before she could ask him to clarify, he did. "The ever present power surrounding, filling us and everything, the cycle involving that."

As articulate as ever, Kagome gave him a blank look, still not connecting her question to his logic.

Dachi was not an impatient youkai; he simply continued. "I know within your studies, in your home era, you have been introduced to many religions, many methods of worship. No matter the method, there is always a circle of energy grounding everything, though it may not be emphasized. In one, when someone dies, their energy follows their soul to help the rise of the reincarnation; in another, the power acquired through life returns to the earth they are buried in and returns to their deity. In others, the energy transports them to the stars above where they will join with their master. And with those with no faith, the power flows back into the earth which sustained them throughout their lifespan." Dachi paused, measuring how Kagome followed his words.

Then he continued, "But have you ever wondered what has driven man and youkai alike to strive to gain more and more power? For centuries, struggles, wars, deceit, seduction have all been used to gain more power. Why, Kagome? Because within every power- hungry creature, there is an unconscious desire to fight death, to become powerful enough to prolong their existence. Youkai can live for an extensive time, but not if they are not strong enough to protect themselves. Humans either desperately cling to their faith to appease their fear of death, or fight to gain power enough to convince themselves of a life of safety, secure in their strength. We both know the folly of that reasoning." Dachi's gaze traveled back up to the sunlight filtering through the canopy.

Kagome narrowed her eyes in thought; she thought she knew where he was headed, but Kagome had to be certain. "There is truth to your words, Lord Dachi, but what does this have to do with me?"

Dachi's voice sounded far away, distant, as he answered. "Because every story, every belief has some grain of truth in the words. Some more than others, but behind every fantastic tale, there is something valid, it may be only a few words beginning centuries ago within the origin of the tale, but the truth is there." His head turned slowly to look into shocked blue eyes.

She gaped for a moment; then Kagome forced her mouth to close and answer his statements. "You are saying that if one gains enough power, they are able to cheat death?"

Dachi smiled. "That is the belief."

"But why? How? Life is supposed to be about balances. Good and evil, light and dark, how can one gain this much power and there not be consequences? I do not accept this thinking." Kagome was shaking her head violently, eyes fixated on the ground.

"It is true Kagome. How then can you explain the lifespan of a taiyoukai as compared to a lesser demon, or that of a hanyou compared to a human? And there is weak energy everywhere, surrounding everything." Kagome looked up at him, and he continued. "Do you honestly think you have walked this garden path and avoided every insect you have crossed? We crossed a grassy meadow before we stepped onto the path. Did you avoid every blade, every flower? You may not have killed the entire plant, but you robbed it of the energy it will have to spare to repair itself. And these things happened while you were totally unaware. The life energy of the plants and insects so low that you would have never noticed." His intense eyes pierced through her like a sword.

Kagome's shoulders drooped with the reasoning in his words. "Can I die?" Her voice was whisper soft in her fear of the answer.

The lord looked at her for a moment before answering. "Yes, Kagome, anyone can die; it is just harder for some than others."

Her eyes shot up to him with his words. "If I can die, why didn't I?"

"Your power allowed you to overcome the pull of death. Your body died; your heart stopped, but your power had no other outlet to use as escape. The power has to go somewhere, and your last command was to heal your body, was it not? Your energy continued to flow, closing your wounds, healing your flesh, and caressing your heart until it beat once again."

Kagome just stood there and nodded. She felt like an ignorant child in the face of Dachi's wisdom. There were too many thoughts buzzing through her mind, too many to focus on, to many to sort through. "So I would have to give my power away in order to die?"

Dachi's gaze studied her for a moment. "No, you would have to release it, force it to flow into something else, and you would have to overcome your body's desire to heal itself. Why are you so interested in death, child? Do you wish to die?" Dachi became concerned, maybe her sanity had not survived the night as he had thought.

Kagome dropped her head and gave a sad smile before she spoke. "No, well, not now at least." She raised her eyes to his. "But I do not wish to be immortal. I don't want to watch my friends and family grow old and die while I remain. I cannot bury my children, my children's children. I am not that strong." Her thoughts took a depressing turn, and then suddenly a horrible idea pierced her like a knife. Shocked eyes swung to the lord as she asked. "So the woman who gave me this power…she was trying to die?" A horrified expression painted her face as she suddenly felt the guilt of her death.

Dachi shook his head. "No, Lady Kagome, the only thing that took place that night by the lake was a spell. With no proper training, you do not know how to sway your power. The spell which was cast was meant to allow you to bend your power to your will, without incantations or ritual. Most miko training involves such measures to pull the power from within, such acts...for lack of a better word, persuades the energy to come forth for the miko's use. Without knowledge of those rituals you are a prison for your power, with it leaking out only in dire circumstances. But that spell changed things for you; you are not required to coax your energy forth, now all you must do is call upon it and give it the proper direction. And you seemed to have done well with what you've been given." He gave a pleased smile.

She shook her head, dazed. "So she gave me nothing that night."

"Lady Kagome, have you not yet realized that it is your own power and none others? No one gave you anything. The power that resides within you is yours and yours alone; it has been dormant for the majority of your life, but it was always present."

Kagome's brow furrowed for a moment. "But it wasn't until…" But her words were cut short as Dachi continued.

"Have you ever concentrated on your own aura? You sense others' when needed, but have you ever looked at your own? It is as a fortress, a formidable barrier that surrounds you on all sides, that speaks of extreme power. Only taiyoukai have auras such as yours. Your power has been centuries in the making, child. Do not make light of your own abilities." Dachi spoke words that confused her greatly.

Shaking her head, Kagome replied. "But how? I do not understand." She began to feel like a broken record, but it would be worth it if she could sort through her confusion.

Dachi smiled gently. "You believe you are the reincarnation of the priestess Kikyou, do you not?" At Kagome's nod, he continued. "That is true, to an extent, but she was not the first. Your line is ancient, powerful, and every lifetime within your line contributes to what is held within you. Every soul deposits more and more to your power reserve, a very unique heritage. Such is not unheard of, but very rare. Through ancient times to yours in the future, you have gained and gained. Your soul is extreme. This is the reason why Kikyou's soul returned to her with no repercussions laid upon yourself and why the void's mirror could not successfully pull your soul from your body. But there are other reasons for your high energy." He paused ensuring Kagome's attention.

The miko looked lost, but she was still listening. Dachi continued with the needed information. "You lived for years with the Shikon no Tama residing within your body. Its power nurturing you, strengthening you, its protector, when the wish was made upon the jewel, there was still power remaining in its depths. The amount of energy it takes to turn a hanyou into a youkai and bring an animate woman back her life is insignificant compared to a jewel that, when broken into shards, a single sliver can multiply a youkai's strength tenfold. One would think when the energy was released, any extra power would flow into those it was already being used by, and that may be the case in part, but not fully. Most of the excess energy went back to the one who guarded it within her body for so long, you, Lady Kagome."

Kagome nodded somewhat numbly, but fully understanding his words. It was just such a shock; she had always felt so weak, so helpless compared to the great and powerful priestess Kikyou. But if excess power from the Shikon had infused her body, was the power from Midoriko or her opponents? A dark fear pierced Kagome's heart at that question.

Breathless with anxiety, she questioned the lord. "The youkai that had battled with Midoriko within the jewel, could they have traveled with the power to live within me now?" She held her breath waiting for his answer.

Dachi's brow creased with his thoughts. For once in this conversation he did not know. "I am not sure, lady, but it is a likely possibility. Midoriko could have fled, her soul finally freed, but a bodiless youkai with a sadistic pleasure from suffering would not wish for eternal peace with rest. The most harm the youkai could inflict would be to find an entity of great power to reside in, so yes, it is a definite possibility, one which I hadn't forseen. This could cause a great many more problems." His face reflected his worries; he turned towards her, eyes beseeching. "Have any dark urges risen, desires you were not able to control?"

Kagome began to worry herself, but then she remembered a hope. "Yes, I was struck with a malicious need to punish, humiliate, and kill someone who had insulted me, the one who had attempted to cause a mutiny on our travels here. But…" She made sure the lord was paying attention. "but, it has only come when I couldn't fight it. Only when I was so exhausted did the urge become irresistible. I had some bloodlust in the fight in Sesshoumaru's fortress, but it never overwhelmed me. I never succumbed to it. The urge became real only when I had not slept nor really eaten for days. So, I think I am strong enough to resist the youkai." She smiled slightly and felt a sense of relief at the answer to Inuyasha's pointed accusations. This just meant she would have to be careful not to exert herself overly.

Dachi nodded in confirmation at her words. "You are in a unique situation. I have never seen one as strong as you with so little control over their power. Without the proper training, the youkai might be able to overcome your will, but you are one of pure heart. I doubt it will be an easy task. Just be aware of which thoughts are your own and which could be implanted from a darker source." His eyes held weight, as if the warning were meant for more, a deeper meaning than just the evil locked away within her.

But she dodged the feeling and moved onto more pressing matters, at least in her mind. She distinctly remembered him referring to her heritage reaching to her 'in the future.' Just how much did this relative stranger know about her, and should she be as trusting as she had been for the past few hours.

Her eyes narrowed a bit as she asked a question that dodged the exact knowledge she wanted to know but couldn't ask outright without exposing her secret. "Lord Dachi, that is the second time you have mentioned my lack of training, and you talked as if you were present when the spell was cast. How do you know these things? You were not in the clearing that night. How could you possibly know, without a doubt, what happened when you were not there to see it?"

Dachi slowly turned his head to look at her, stretching out the time, emphasizing his gaze. When his eyes locked with Kagome's, she immediately felt a pull to them, as if she could fall into them forever. It wasn't a romantic feeling at all; it was disconcerting, but she couldn't break free. She couldn't look away.

She heard his voice like a distant call, a whisper in the breeze. "I see many things, Kagome." When his voice died from her ears, his eyes began swirl.

Like a whirlpool, she felt the pull get stronger until she couldn't move. No muscle responded as she began to panic, but the miko still could not tear her eyes from his. She could see patterns emerging from within the swirls, then a picture reflected upon the surface. As soon as she could see the image, it was projected in front of his eyes; a movie played before her on an invisible screen about the size of her head. The image blocked her view of Dachi's face, but she was no longer trying to get away. She was mesmerized.

Mesmerized by the scene which was playing out before her. Kagome saw herself holding her cat, Buyo, in front of the Bone Eater's Well as Mistress Centipede rose from its depths and pulled her into the well. Then the miko watched as she played with the feathered tip of an arrow pinning Inuyasha to the Goshinboku. Kagome was in awe as excerpts of the many battles the group had been through played out before her, then a picture of the woman kneeling by the lake as everything shone that brilliant golden color she remembered so well. But then the images changed.

She saw herself in the future, struggling in her classes at school. Kagome blushed as she saw Hojo desperately trying to flag her down, trying to catch up with her after school. She saw her mother, grandfather, and Souta sitting around the table eating, saw herself laying on her bed in her room reading.

The image disappeared, and Kagome was left gasping, breathing hard, heart pounding in her chest, pulse blaring in her temples.

As she tried to regain her composure, tried to sort through what was just dealt to her, she spoke. "How...what...what was that?" She spoke as coherently as she could.

Dachi looked at her with a blank face. No expression marring his features, waiting for her sort through the information he had indirectly given to her.

Kagome took a deep breath, gathering herself before she resumed the conversation. "You can see the future." She landed on the only solid thought that came from the surprise of him knowing about her home and her era.

"And the past, and the present." Dachi clarified. His voice was steady.

Kagome took another deep breath, steadying herself. "How?" Her mind still struggling to grasp onto something, anything to make some sort of sense.

"Every youkai has different talents, Lady Kagome. Some have battle prowess, others intelligence beyond compare, strength, stamina, many things, but all have their gifts. I am gifted with far-reaching sight."

Kagome sat down on the grass beside the path. They had not walked since the conversation began, and she felt she definitely needed to sit down. But she was properly beyond her shock, now, she could think straight now. And questions came unbidden again. "If you could see the future, why didn't you protect your estate better? Mokuso told Sesshoumaru that you lost most of your forces. Surely you could have changed the course of events." She was baffled as to why he would let his men die.

Dachi released a weary breath. "Playing with the future is very risky business, Kagome; I may prevent one fate, but bring about one far worse. I do not tread were I am not needed unnecessarily. There are too many variables one must take into account. Besides, just because one can see the future, it doesn't mean they can prevent it. Events can be set in motion years before they occur. A set of actions or decisions will lead in a progression to greet a certain end. If I do not know the preceding events, I have no power to change anything." There was regret in his voice, as if he would go back and change the loss of his men if he could.

Kagome's head dropped a bit, ashamed for making him relive his pain.

He continued, "But because I have access to the important decisions, the ones that make history. The conversations which lead to great actions, I know where to look." He smiled pleasantly.

Confusion reigned again, and Kagome was getting seriously tired of the emotion. "I don't understand. How do you know which conversations are important and which are insignificant? Doesn't one look like the other?"

His smile grew. "Kagome, you have met my love, have you not?" He reached his hand out towards the direction from which they had come.

The topic changed so quickly that Kagome was momentarily thrown, but quickly recovered. She stood to greet the lady of the eastern lands only to stop and stare, slack-jawed, at her.

The woman smiled gently at her. "Kagome, it is good to see you again."

Kagome blinked. "Nara?" Her gaze flew from lord to lady and back again.

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Sesshoumaru stood completely cloaked in his former chambers watching Rokoshi intently. The traitor paced back and forth, nervously wringing his hands behind his back. The taiyoukai could pick up pieces of his incoherent mumbling. It seemed as if his master was on his way.

The hidden figure smirked in triumph; Sesshoumaru would finally get to meet the master. He could practically feel his claws shredding the bastard. His senses were on alert for his arrival, so it was an extreme surprise for the former lord to hear an unfamiliar voice echo across the room.

As the last rays of sunlight faded, a figure emerged from the shadows across the room from where Sesshoumaru was hidden. His voice was a bass so deep it rumbled across the chambers. "Rokoshi, why have you called me here?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened. He had not noticed his entrance at all; this thing didn't even feel like a youkai. There was not energy to it at all, but the being stood before him, melting out of the shadows.

Rokoshi feared him, and thus had lamps lit across the room, not that it mattered. "Darkness, milord, there have been complications."

Sesshoumaru's eyes were just as effective at night, but he had a difficult time seeing Darkness; the name suited him. His skin was completely black, not the black that human skin can be, but the black of a dog. A thick braid of black hair hung from the nape of his neck to tickle the floor. His eyes were solid black, as well. Garbed in nothing but the blackest silk, the only color reflected in his appearance was the silver jewelry adorning his pointed ears. Silver studs curled up the shell of the ear nearest Sesshoumaru, accenting the tip.

The taiyoukai had no way of knowing whether the other ear was symmetrical, but at the present time, he didn't care. He was more concerned with how this male, for he did not think he was youkai, had escaped his senses.

"Obviously." The voice was emotionless, thick and reaching, like you could hear it decades away.

Rokoshi immediately bowed before Darkness. But Sesshoumaru's eyes were again drawn to the man when he saw a flash of color. Deep, piercing green eyes stared at him from beneath the black hair loosely drawn into a rope. A second creature was hiding at his neck, one with a very small stature if he could hide so thoroughly.

But that wasn't the most alarming thing to Sesshoumaru. No, the most disturbing fact was that those eyes were looking directly at him, as if he could see him as clear as day. Black eyes slid towards Sesshoumaru's position, but his head never turned, just a simple movement of the eyes.

Rokoshi was blind to the small movement as he had not risen from his bow.

Sesshoumaru tensed expecting an attack, but nothing moved in the room. Before he knew what was happening, fear slid across his body like water. He should fear the creature; everyone is afraid of the dark, and the opponent before the taiyoukai was darkness made flesh. The cold, unfeeling Darkness, nothing could hurt him, nothing could kill him. He moves in shadows, can wrap them around him to hide. Darkness was the perfect assassin, and none could touch him.

The fear was a tangible thing, making his hands tremble with the terror. Never before had he felt this, he had never feared an opponent. He knew nothing about this creature, why should he fear him so completely. His thoughts pushed the fear back slightly, enough for him to hear a small whimper.

Sesshoumaru looked over to Rokoshi. He was no longer bowing; now he was curled into a ball on the floor, trembling like a leaf in the wind. Golden eyes narrowed. This was not his fear alone. This thing before him, Darkness, was projecting fear into the room like an aroma. Forcing terror on those who faced him. With the realization, the fear vanished.

Rokoshi weakly looked about the room.

A flash of white showed where Darkness smiled at Sesshoumaru. The smile was not a true smile, more a showing of teeth, but his words rang out across the room. "A worthy opponent. We will meet again, taiyoukai."

Sesshoumaru watched as he began to sink into the shadows without moving an inch. It was as if he could pull darkness like a cloak around him and be perfectly hidden.

Rokoshi called out to him. "Wait, master! What is happening?"

Darkness stopped his retreat, and the shadows fled uncovering his body. "You sent my soldiers into a trap, Rokoshi. Lord Sesshoumaru remains in your castle. He is most likely the one behind the slaughtered soldiers. Dispose of him if you can. I must see to those we sent to the east." His face turned towards Sesshoumaru's corner. "Are they headed into a trap, or is the Eastern Lord merely a diversion, Sesshoumaru?"

Rokoshi's head snapped to the corner Darkness was facing, but he saw nothing.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed, prepared for an attack, but again, it didn't come. Darkness disappeared as he watched, and he was left alone with his traitorous general, watching as Rokoshi frantically searched the area looking for him.

The taiyoukai quietly turned and left the room, no thought was given to Rokoshi and his search. He needed to find Aishi; they had some things to discuss.

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A/N: Yes, it has been a while, my friends, and for that I am truly sorry, but it was unavoidable. Summer is here officially now, so I will return to my weekly schedule. Maybe even more than once a week…we'll see.

So we finally get to meet the ultimate bad guy. grins Actually, this character isn't mine, Darkness belongs to the PROFESSIONAL author Laurel Hamilton. But in her books he isn't a bad guy…but he's a kick ass character, and I couldn't resist.

I'll see ya'll later. ------Syrinx

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	42. Without Will

WARNING: Kouga lovers beware…you will NOT like this chapter. There are reasons behind his actions, and they will be revealed in time (and strongly hinted at this chapter). Also, Kagome's thought processes are going to be highly irregular and erratic…for explanations see A/N at the end of the chapter!

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 42 Without Will

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Kagome stood before the walls of the Eastern Citadel and waited for the army she could feel approaching. She really didn't feel up to a battle right now. There where too many things rumbling through her brain, and the miko doubted she had the concentration to complete the task before her.

Behind her, atop the wooden walls protecting the manner, were the soldiers of the east and west, Shouron, Inuyasha, and Kikyou. Kento and Kinzi stood beside the western general, but Kariudo stood on the ground only a few paces behind her. Shouron had insisted on this measure in case things went wrong. He didn't want Kagome unprotected, so Kariudo was assigned to her safety.

Kagome had protested at first, but now, with her thoughts reliving the past few hours, she was grateful for Shouron's protective nature.

Aside from the shock she felt at Dachi's explanations, she was further thrown off balance by the revealing of Nara, the woman who had 'given' Kagome her power. Only that thought was disproven in previously said shocking explanation…

Kagome shook her head. She was already starting to sound crazy. But things got worse from that point as Nara took Kagome by the hand and led her to a bench deeper in the garden sanctuary.

The miko had listened with dumbfounded silence as the eastern lady explained her origins and how everything since the two women had last met on the waterfront had been arranged by the lord and lady. Kagome now doubted her normally trusting nature. Had they been entirely truthful? Or were she and her friends being used as pawns in an entertaining game.

She sighed. Dachi and Nara had pure auras, well pure for youkai; there was no deceit laced into it. But that just meant they weren't habitually deceptive, which meant they might have been lying that one time…

Kagome grunted in frustration. They had to be telling the truth, had to be, because if they weren't, well…Kagome didn't know what to do. If they were telling the truth, then everything Sesshoumaru, the generals, and she had planned was still set as their plan. If not, she had no idea what her next course of actions would be or what she should do to combat the liars' plans. She'd be lost.

The miko shook herself out of her pseudo-pity party, and began thinking through everything she had been told. Again.

If everything which was relayed to her was truth, then Nara was not a youkai but a demigod. According to the lady, gods gain power through the worship of their followers, and, while they are stronger in the areas they are known and praised, they are not restricted to those lands.

In the story of Nara's creation, a foreign god had become intrigued with the powerful and graceful youkai of Japan and infatuated with Nara's mother. The relations between the god and the youkai did not last long, for gods frowned upon fraternizing with mortal beings…

Kagome laughed at this. It was the same thought youkai had towards humans turned back on them. It was strange to think of youkai as 'mortal beings' but they were not immortal, for anything which could be killed was not. And youkai could be killed…

But then again, so could gods. It usually took a great amount of magic and some sort of ritual invoking mortal blood, but it could be done. Just not easily…so weren't the gods mortal as well? Could anything be classified as immortal?

Kagome verbally growled at the tangents she was letting her thoughts take. This was not the time to debate the question of mortality. 'Back on track, Kagome! Think!'

Anyway, Nara's father had been a god so powerful that he could bend others to his will simply by inflicting his desires upon them. He had other powers as well, but this was the one most relevant to Nara because she had inherited something along those lines, an aspect of manipulating the will of others.

Upon hearing of her power, her father called her the Keeper of the Crossroads, but it was a somewhat hopeless power. Nara could she the crossroads to which those around her would come. Metaphorically not physically. The decisions everyone had to make on a daily basis. She knew when and where those trivial and critical events would happen.

Kagome thought this was a really scary power. She could change someone's decision simply by being there and slipping a mental note to their minds. Her father could do it from a distance, but he had no idea of what their choices were, nor did he care. It was his will they would bend to, but Nara, she could only shift their thoughts from one decision to another.

Nara had explained that at first, in her youth, she thought how great this skill was, and how much good she could do, protecting those around her with no violence offered. It was hard at first, learning how to sift through the trivial decisions and hone in on the major ones. But, eventually, all important decisions would resonate across her mind like a great bell ringing.

Everything went well; until one day, she realized her folly. She could see the decisions, but she did not know of the outcome of the choices. What seemed like the lesser evil choice between two power samurai…destroyed her life. Village after village was decimated. The screams of women and children trapped in their burning huts echoed across the land, and finally, her mother's home…gone. Her mother…brutally slaughtered.

But she couldn't do anything. The decision had already been made, only the actions remained…and she had spurred the decision.

Kagome found tears trailing down her cheeks as she remembered Nara's portrayal of her deepest emotional scar, laid bare before the miko.

And she felt shame. Shame for doubting the truth of Nara's words.

And then everything fell into place while in front of the lord and lady. Nara was one who could see the choices which set everything in motion, but could not see the results of those choices and thus would no longer touch the process. And Dachi, he could see the future but could not prevent it because he knew not what triggered the events.

Separate, they were all but powerless. Together they were…incredibly powerful.

Kagome laughed and shook her head again. Now she couldn't even think of a better description, she just used the same one twice in a sentence. Her teachers would love that. But her teachers were at home, and she was here.

She was here, standing before the huge gates of the Eastern Estate facing a hostile army of youkai who were about to break the tree line. A plain stretched out before her, but in the distance, she could see the forest and a multitude of movement behind the foliage.

It was time to think of the situation at hand, not of the past few hours. The situation at hand was simple. Kagome didn't wish harm on the enemy youkai. She felt enough guilt over those which were destroyed in the battle at Sesshoumaru's fortress.

And for reasons kept hidden from her, Dachi and Nara were adamant about harming as few of the enemy soldiers as possible. Because of this, Kagome had set up a barrier protecting the manner and all behind it.

The miko had deposited several of her landmines-the smallest size she had ever tried for: about half the length of her pinky- directly around the shield, and another in the middle of the plain, by itself.

The plan was to force a decision on the army. When they hit the first orb causing it to explode, wounding many, their fear might cause them to question whether to attack the palace or not. Nara would step in then. Kagome had thought the plan brilliant, but Nara had just given her a sad smile.

The youkai lady was convinced it would not work, and Kagome refused to listen to reason. The approaching youkai "had no will of their own" according to Nara, and no decision was allowed them. Kagome figured it was a question of honor.

A warrior pledged his loyalty to his master, and from that point on, no decision was allowed him…he followed his master's orders. 'But surely when faced with death, they'll rethink that oath.' Kagome thought to herself.

As the youkai began crossing the plain, she started to feel a pit in her stomach. An unexplained dread filled her, and she couldn't help but feel nervous. The army was a mix of all sorts of demons, lesser demons, judging from the variety of shapes and forms, and also humanoid demons.

It was weird seeing them all together; there was no order to it at all. The lesser youkai were neither in front as shock troops nor behind as a clean up crew. They were completely jumbled…and they were lifeless. Kagome concentrated on them.

Unrest began to settle permanently into her gut. There were no weapons raised in predicted victory, no war cries, no banners waving…they were all just walking across the plain as if they were not about to do battle, casually walking towards what could be their death.

This wasn't right, not right at all. But as soon as the thought made it across Kagome's mind, she found three familiar auras. They were almost to the first mine, the lone deterrent left in the middle of the plain for them to find.

"Kouga!" Kagome exclaimed as she finally recognized the aura, the other two had to be Ginta and Hakkaku.

The miko felt Kariudo tense behind her, but she paid him no mind. Immediately she released the mines she had made and watched them disappear into nothing. The army progressed ever forward, and Kagome made a hole in the barrier, racing to her wolf friend.

It never occurred to her that she might be in danger. The only thing she thought was of the lives she might save. If Kouga, prince of the wolves, was here fighting, it was because his master had earned his respect, loyalty, and friendship; the wolf was too stubborn for anything else. Which meant this could all be a misunderstanding.

If she could just contact Kouga's friend, maybe they could avoid more meaningless death. She raced toward the army dismissing the warning shouts from Inuyasha and Shouron atop the wall. Kagome just knew she could stop all of this, she never questioned what made her so positive.

She reached the army, and Kouga was on the frontline. Those around him continued on to the barrier. The hole Kagome had run through was now closed, and they began battering the shield, trying to burst through.

Kouga, however had stopped, those behind him either stopped so as not to hit him or stepped around him. There was no confusion from the army, no curiosity as to a miko of the east running up to an enemy.

But Kagome overlooked all of this. "Kouga! What are you doing here? Why are you attacking Lord Dachi?"

Kouga did not respond. His gaze never left the barrier that stood behind Kagome, but he did not move forward.

"Kouga, its me, Kagome, remember? What's wrong with you?" She put her hand on his shoulder to try to get his attention, and it worked. Eyes that were once the brightest, sparkling blue were now dull and lifeless and looking straight at her.

Kagome saw his arm pull back and his hand ball into a fist; she knew the blow was coming. She just didn't believe it. Time slowed down; it was as if she had all the time in the world to watch him strike her, but not enough time to dodge. Then she felt something wrap around her waist and yank her backwards as time resumed its normal pace.

The miko watched the youkai below her batter the shield as she drifted higher and higher into the air. The noise of swords and claws striking the barrier rang in her ears as she stopped gaining altitude.

"I suggest you make an opening in your shield below us, or we will slide into the midst of them, Lady Kagome." Kariudo's voice was calm despite the fact that he had probably just saved her life.

The miko looked down, and she realized that he had jumped backwards as well as up. If she opened the barrier she would land right where they had started, on the ground before the gates. She did as he suggested, and waited for him to cushion the fall with whatever ability youkai had enabling them to land so gracefully.

When she was on solid ground again and felt his arm leave her person, she couldn't help but watch as the expressionless, emotionless warriors attempted to defeat her barrier. She walked closer to the shield, seeing claw and sword swinging fruitlessly, and she realized the truth of Nara's words.

"They have no will of their own." Kagome repeated aloud.

"So it would seem." Kariudo spoke smoothly.

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Sesshoumaru all but raced towards Aishi; he could feel the general's presence around the next corner.

He had begun to make his way towards their destined meeting place after he was introduced to Darkness, but half way there he was struck by a thought, struck like lightning tearing through a tree in its course to the earth.

Darkness was headed to the east, the eastern lands where Kagome was. She was in danger. That was not acceptable. Fear lanced through his mind, sharp and painful.

Kagome was in danger; she could be hurt. And he was still in the fortress trying to regain his lands. His lands were not that important anymore, not if it meant losing her. When had this happened? He was baffled, but he could not argue with what he felt any longer. Aishi had made that point quite clear to him, and he couldn't argue because he had no basis to any argument against his words. Kagome was more important to him than his title, and he would do anything in his power to keep her safe.

So he ran. He ran to his general because he could not bear to stand idle and wait for Aishi to come to him.

Sesshoumaru rounded the corner only to see Aishi conversing with another guard. The taiyoukai revealed himself to both youkai before him. His first general's silver eyes widened in shock, but Sesshoumaru dismissed it as he strode to them.

"We must leave. I've met our magistrate; he knows of the diversion. Kagome's in danger." He spoke quickly, pressing the general.

Aishi's eyes slid to the soldier in front of him; the guard looked astonished. He had not had the chance to find out if he was trustworthy yet, but before he could decipher, the taiyoukai struck him down. The youkai was knocked unconscious, not dead but bleeding.

"It does not matter; Rokoshi knows we are here. We have no time. Come." Sesshoumaru made haste to the nearest exit.

They passed soldiers and guards coming and going through the hallways, but all they saw were two blurs, one silver and one green. The warriors of the west were shocked into silence as they recognized the power rolling off the intruder. It was their lord, and he was pissed.

Many abased themselves, kneeling on the floor, but the lord was already outside racing across the land to reach her, what would she be to him when he got there? He didn't know. He was still unwilling to subject himself to watching her slowly die before him. He knew he wasn't that strong, but he did know that he didn't want to survive her death when he could have prevented it. Forever is a long time to live tormented.

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A/N: ☼rolls eyes and sighs☼ I'm going to get my ass roasted for this chapter, I can just feel it. Oh well, here goes. I tried my damndest to keep Kouga out of this fic because I knew that this would be where his role would be, and I knew people would be pissed about it. BUT nnooooo! People kept asking for him, and asking about him, and explaining why it wasn't realistic that he wouldn't show up to claim Kagome. Grrr. Well, its your own damn fault, so don't complain to me about it. Not defensive at all…nope.

Kagome was very…scattered in this chapter, yes I know. Her thoughts were meant to be informative yet confusing. I mentioned in a previous chapter the last, I think that she had nothing to ground her anymore, nothing anchoring her. Well, what happens to a ship that doesn't have its anchor set? It drifts. That's what is happening here.


	43. Decisions

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 43 Decisions

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They were not as fast as the creature. Impossible. But true. Watching Darkness run was like watching night creep over the land, you know it is happening, but your eyes cannot follow the movement.

It appeared as floating; Darkness seemed unbearably slow to both Sesshoumaru and Aishi from watching his movements, and yet he continued to pull away from them no matter their speed. Eventually, Sesshoumaru was reduced to tracking his scent because he could not recognize this being's aura or power. But it was not as if Sesshoumaru was ignorant of his course.

No, Sesshoumaru knew exactly where Darkness was headed, but the taiyoukai wanted to know exactly where this thing was when he and his general arrived at the Eastern Palace.

Everything about Darkness was a mystery; his power was foreign. He had a veil of magic wrapped around him, and Sesshoumaru had yet to have a chance to test his fighting skills. It was unsettling to say the least. The taiyoukai had always made it a priority to know his enemies and their skills before he engaged them. But there was no time. This creature would reach Kagome first. Something twisted in his gut, a sickening feeling, almost like a wound caused by a poisoned blade.

Why did this concern him so? He didn't know, but his instinct told him something was wrong. Sesshoumaru was a taiyoukai, and his instinct was never wrong. His pace sped, and Aishi hastened his as well. They might not be able to catch this creature, but they could diminish the time he was given to surprise those in the Eastern Lands.

They were amidst the depths of the night, the hidden folds where even insomniacs sleep, velvet black colored any and everything around them. There was no moon to light the way. It was ominous, a sign, darkness reigning over the land. But at their pace they would reach the Eastern Estate just as night falls on the next day.

But his gut still wasn't appeased. Would he be too late?

It was a race, a race he couldn't lose. He hadn't felt panic like this in all his centuries of existence, but then again, this wretched girl had caused him many emotions he had never experienced before. Some, good, but most were bad. Panic, anxiety, discomfort, and the equivalent of emotional pain, all because of her. But, despite that, it seemed as if the good outweighed the bad. Through her, he had also experienced companionship, laughter, joy, and the love she seemed to lave upon all who let her. And that gave him a sense of inner peace which made all the bad disappear…

…But he could still give her hell about it. He imagined watching her indignant expression and the huff of air she always exhaled after he dealt a blow to her ego right before she would gather courage with the inhale to attempt to insult him in return.

No, he would not be too late.

And when this was over, when they reached the Eastern Lands, he would take her home. Back to the strange land in which she lives, the distant future.

She was a weakness, and he was not allowed weaknesses. No, that wasn't right, though that was the mindframe he tried for, the truth was, she couldn't stay.

He wanted to remember her as she is now, young and vibrant, caring and beautiful. He knew he was not strong enough to stay by her side as time slowly stripped her of her brilliance. So she would go. Besides, it was too dangerous here, and he wanted her safe. She would go back if he had to throw her over his shoulder and drop her down that infernal well.

His jaw set as he realized he had finally decided what to do with her. Actually, what he would do with both his girls. His girls…his eyes softened, and he almost smiled at that thought.

Kagome and Rin, how had those two fragile beings shattered his walls? But it would be better that way. Rin would grow up with her own kind in a time when youkai would not, could not hurt her, and Kagome would give her the unabashed love Rin so deserved.

Maybe he could even find a way to overthrow whatever fate had in store for the youkai population and see them again. Someday.

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Mokuso sat on the floor with her legs crossed in a rather un-lady-like position, but she didn't care. She was restless and anxious, and there was nothing she could do about it. Nothing she was allowed to do about it.

Only a few feet from her, Lord Dachi and Lady Nara were engaged in a tense conversation. Mokuso had heard the beginnings of the debate, but once she realized what they were discussing she didn't want to hear anything else about it. They were arguing about whether or not they should warn Kagome about certain talents of which the enemy was capable. Kagome was her friend, and Mokuso felt she would betray her lord and lady's decision if they decided against telling the miko. So Mokuso tuned out the conversation.

A nudge against her thigh brought her attention to the little youkai in front of her. The scout smiled down at the little neko.

Kirara had been left with the lord and lady despite her fighting capabilities. The little youkai had been convinced to stay and take the rulers to safety in case things went wrong. Kirara was no fool; she had survived and fought for centuries, but she also knew how very important it was that Dachi and Nara remain safe.

Her mistress, Sango, had sent her to help Kagome, but if Kagome was worried over protecting the lord and lady, she would not be able to protect herself. And Kirara was more than aware of how strong Kagome had become. She could take care of herself now; Kirara just had to make sure her selfless nature didn't interfere with the miko's sense of self preservation. If she ever had one.

But currently, Kirara was more concerned with the one called Mokuso. She seemed about ready to tear her own hair out with the tension in her muscles. So as any loyal animal would do, she tried to soothe the female.

Rubbing against her tense leg, Kirara stole Mokuso's thoughts away from the battle that could be raging around her home, away from the concern building about a certain general who was so far away from her, but yet so very near to her heart.

Mokuso tensed with the caresses at first, but finally, she gave in to the cat's persistence. Wrapping her arms around Kirara, Mokuso picked up the vicious kitten and began stroking her back and tickling her sensitive ears, causing tension to seep from the bodies of both youkai.

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A dark figure stood at the forest at the edge of the clearing waiting for the opportune moment. The creature had not expected the Eastern Lands to hold up against his army, but imagine his surprise when he found they had not even reached the castle.

There was a barrier there, one that none of the men under his control had the ability to break. It was a problem indeed; but every problem had a solution. He just had to figure out who was responsible for the obstacle and break their mind. But another problem stood posed before him. He could not find any of their minds within the shield.

Darkness called forth his livery, a creature he could create and control at will, the spider. A single black spider, though he had the ability to create hundreds at a time (one would be sufficient), appeared in his hand. He sent the arachnid out through the grass of the field; aided by magic, the spider reached his army in seconds.

The creature hidden in the trees called for his minions to cease moving their feet. They still attacked the barrier, but it would not do for his spider to be crushed.

The arachnid reached the barrier and crawled a little ways up the dome. Then with magic foreign to the lands of Japan, Darkness pushed his livery through the shield. The being was instantly aware of every mind within the castle, but he was only interested in one.

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Kagome walked slowly, as if in a trance, towards the wolf prince who was blindly kicking and punching at the barrier between them. It was beyond strange. He looked straight through her; she didn't exist to him. He lived only to obey the will of his master.

She realized her hand had reached out to the barrier, as if to caress her friend's face. There had been a time when he would pierce her with his crystal gaze and profess his undying desire for her to be his mate. But someone had stolen all his desires. Even though his persistent demands and proposals had annoyed her beyond belief then, how she longed to hear him preach to her again of his love.

What she wouldn't give to have her friend shouting insults and curses at Inuyasha.

Kagome sighed and pulled her hand back to her chest. She felt like crying; turning, she gazed past her concerned bodyguard and looked up to Inuyasha standing on the wall above her.

He and Kikyou were so close to each other, as if they were crowded together, though no one stood that close to either of their other sides. With just a tiny push of wind their sleeves would touch, but there was tension present between them. The tension of attraction, the bittersweet barrier between lovers before they confess everything, shattering that barrier.

It made her think of times gone by. It felt like such a long time ago that Inuyasha was her world, and she would have given her very life to make him happy. Kikyou was there now; she had always been there, but Kagome never really wanted to admit it. Inuyasha would never allow Kagome to be the only one in his heart. It was a hard pill to swallow, but the realization was much easier on her than it would have been a month ago.

Kagome sighed and tried to concentrate on the situation at hand. How does one fix this without hurting her friends?

Just as she thought that, she felt a bit strange. Light-headed. Tired, no, not tired…exhausted. But that wasn't all she felt, it was unsettling, as if she was not alone in her own skin. Like something was moving within her very soul, had her power manifested itself in a new way?

No, that couldn't be it because she was feeling unbearably weak. She swayed on her feet and tried to think of any reason why she should be feeling this way. But Kagome could think of none. Not one reason.

Her memory searching was interrupted by a thought. 'I can't hold the shield up. I'm too weak.'

And then she felt her shield thinning. But it wasn't right. Nothing about this situation was right. She wasn't thinking of the shield, why would it jump into her mind like that?

And why would she be too weak to hold the barrier. She was strong enough to withhold a miko's shield even in sleep; Kagome had demonstrated that point on the way to the Eastern Estate. Even in the depths of exhaustion, Kagome could hold up a shield.

This wasn't right. Wasn't right at all.

But it didn't matter because Kagome could feel the shield falling, slipping through her grasp as she tried to funnel more energy back into it. But the weakness came again. She managed to hold up the barrier, yet her knees gave out.

Kariudo was there to prevent her from falling; his strong hands gripping her arms and supporting her weight.

Kagome could feel something ruffling through her mind. It was terribly uncomfortable, and she could feel the intrigue of the creature doing such things. And now she knew. She knew without a doubt that it wasn't her thoughts convincing her of her weakness and inability to hold her shield.

But despite this knowledge, she wasn't able to cast this thing from her mind. She couldn't fight something she couldn't she. Her hands gripped her head, and she screamed.

Kagome was fighting, but something was keeping her from accessing her power. Even if she could, she didn't know what to do with it. And her shield was slipping again. Weakening, thinning into nothing.

She had the chance to scream a warning before it would fall. "Kikyou!" Kagome screamed in warning before the miko felt her barrier dissolve.

But Kikyou felt her shield slipping before Kagome shouted her warning, and had begun chanting. As soon as Kagome's barrier fell, Kikyou had another thrown into place. For that Kagome was glad, and she felt relief course through her before that thing started attacking her mind again.

She felt her memories being ripped from her, could feel it like a snake worming its way through her mind. It was searching for something within her, and she couldn't fight it. It was violating her mind in the worst way, but she had no defenses from such things.

Kagome screamed again. In a sudden shift, there was a sort of peaceful feeling amidst the chaos. Then her mind went blank.

Kariudo had been frantically searching for some breach in the barrier since Kagome had grasped her head. Something was attacking the woman he was assigned to protect, and that was not acceptable. But there was really nothing he could do to defend her against an invisible foe. Was there?

But a miko's barrier was meant to keep out any being that would cause harm to those within its protection, and something was obviously harming Kagome. Thus, there had to be something inside the shield with them. Something small and near unseen, something they could not sense.

There. Camouflaged in front of the youkai attacking the shield was a small black spider. A harmless looking creature staying absolutely still inside the barrier. He quickly released Kagome with his right hand, supporting her writhing form with his left arm now wrapped around her, and gathered youki into his hand.

Kariudo pulled his arm back to gather momentum and flung the deadly energy at the intruder just as he felt Kagome go limp in his other arm.

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Darkness felt his connection with his spider sever with its death, and he no longer controlled the girl. It was rather shocking to sift through her mind, but the creature had also learned many things. Many very intriguing things.

The dark figure within the trees could have easily sent more spiders to breach the shield, he could easily overthrow those holding up the shield. But he let them have this victory, for now the creature had a different plan. So he casually walked farther into the trees calling his minions with him.

The Eastern Forces were well prepared right now, but with the setting sun, new possibilities would present themselves. He would let the lord think the attack failed, he would let them believe he had retreated. His forces would, truly, leave the area. But…

But his form was darkness made flesh, and he was just as dangerous as the army he controlled. And though the army behind those walls was prepared for his movements, there was a certain weapon he had yet to release upon the unsuspecting defenders, a new weapon he looked forward to utilizing.

Because once the creature enters your mind, and gains control of it, it is much easier to re-enter, and he could call her to his side from miles away.

Yes, the one called Kagome would be the perfect force to tear the Eastern Manor apart. A smile lit his features. She was very powerful and beautiful; perhaps they might even rule the conquered lands together.

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"Kagome? Kagome, wake up. Can you hear me?" Inuyasha stared down at his long time friend and companion.

He was more than worried about her. Hell, everyone was. Not even a single blow to any of those who stood beneath the barrier, yet Kagome fell unconscious in Kariudo's arm. It wasn't just that she lost consciousness, it was the way she fell. Kagome was grasping her head as if she would garrote her skull with her own fingers and screaming.

Shrieking.

Even when injured by lethal youkai, Kagome had never yelled in such a manner. If she got in the way, or if he was somewhat slow to defend her, the miko would cry out, but it was only a voiced exhale of breath. Not a prolonged scream, not like he had just heard. In fact, she usually called out more when her friends were injured; she rarely paid any heed to her own pains.

But this, her voice sounded clear across the field, agonized. It almost pulled tears from his eyes. What had happened to her? And why hadn't she awakened from this state?

"Inuyasha? May I try?" Kikyou's soft voice penetrated his confused stupor.

"Huh? Oh yeah, sure." He gently set her down on the floor of the hallway.

After Kagome had fainted, Kariudo carried her to the top of the estate's defensive wall where everyone else stood. Her friends were immediately concerned with her unresponsive state, but they were also in the middle of a battle. Shouron had instructed everyone to hold their positions in case the battle began anew. The general was extremely distrusting of the sudden retreat of the invading youkai, and wished to take no chances.

But Inuyasha tore Kagome from Kariudo's arms and headed into the manor intending to take her to the infirmary. Kikyou followed him silently. But on the way to the beds of the medical wing, Kagome had shifted in his arms.

The former hanyou and his intended gazed down at Kagome as it seemed she would wake soon. But nothing had happened.

Kikyou placed her fingers on Kagome's temples and gently pushed a bit of her energy into the comatose female. She immediately shifted and moaned a bit. Kikyou softly pushed Kagome's bangs away from her face, and cradled her cheek, still letting her miko energy graze across her skin.

Kagome gasped as her eyes shot open. Blue, terror-filled eyes quickly swirled around the room, evaluating her surroundings. Resting her eyes on Inuyasha and Kikyou, she sighed and relaxed.

"Welcome back." Kikyou's soft voice greeted her.

"What the hell happened?" Inuyasha gruffly voiced his own concern.

Kagome looked from one to the other before sighing deeply. "I don't really want to talk about it right now. Can we just skip the explanation til later?" Kagome pleaded, her voice tired.

Inuyasha and Kikyou glanced at each other then looked back down at Kagome. "Take your time." Kikyou said firmly before Inuyasha could deny her request.

He huffed and glared at Kikyou, but the smile that lit Kagome's features at the statement made him back down from the demand he wished to place on her.

They helped her to her feet. Kagome's attention immediately went back to the battle. "What's happening? Is everyone alright?"

Inuyasha looked over at her. "They just left, the cowards. The youkai retreated without so much as a signal." His voice was arrogant, but both females could sense the uneasiness in his posture.

Kikyou proceeded where he left off. "As soon as you fell, the youkai halted their attacks. Shouron doesn't trust it, so the warriors are still on the wall for surveillance purposes."

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, if you don't mind then, I think I'm going to go take a bath and rest. It is getting late." Her voice dragged with weariness, and they couldn't help but nod in agreement.

She gave them a soft smile and turned to leave. She had not gotten a proper night's sleep in too long. Between anxiety with the upcoming battles and cataclysmic dreams, which still plagued her, she was steadily feeling less and less energetic.

Reaching her room, she grabbed her night clothes, which consisted of a tank top and shorts, then picked up her bathing supplies, hugging them to her chest. Finally, she threw a robe over her shoulder. The miko did not wish to cross the castle in indecent attire after her bath, but packing the pajama pants and shirts in which she used to sleep began to take up too much room in her pack, room that could be used for food. So, shorts it is.

The room she was given to bathe was right down the hall, but she really didn't feel like climbing in the wooden vat tonight. No, she wished to visit the springs she found behind the castle. She knew this was dangerous, but Kagome needed it. She felt lost. Seeing Kouga like he was today upset her greatly.

He was an unspoken strength to her, though she would never admit it aloud. When Inuyasha degraded her and compared her to Kikyou, Kagome would keep herself sane with remembrances of the wolf prince's love. Try as she might, she couldn't return it, but Kouga had once been in her thoughts quite a bit when Naraku was still at large, and when Inuyasha was so continuously frustrated.

So she needed to get away from the manor, Kagome yearned for a small piece of the past. The hotsprings nearby would serve to calm her, and it would allow her to pretend, for just a few moments, that her life wasn't so terribly confusing.

And there was still that immortality thing. Can't forget that. Kagome's face soured a bit.

Before she left the protective walls, Kagome cast her senses out, looking for threats, but it would seem that the attacking army had truly left. They were quite a ways away and still moving further. The only youkai Kagome could sense were those of the Eastern and Western Forces within their barracks and the lookouts on the walls.

Kagome began to make her way to her intended target. Occasionally in her way, she would see a shadow from an eastern soldier fly overhead, their great wings extended, looking for any threats. But Kagome was not concerned; she had covered herself, scent, aura, and appearance, as she moved through the castle. It was not meant to deceive; she just did not feel like talking to anyone right now.

Everyone who had seen her since her fainting spell, that's what everyone had begun calling it, had asked her what had happened, and if she was alright. And though she appreciated their concern, she really did not wish to speak of it. She did not want to don a cheerful expression to try to convince others of her health because she didn't feel healthy. Kagome felt sick, but it wasn't the sickness which could be cured with medicines and rest. It was an emotional illness.

Kagome had been dealt too many shocks in too short a time period, and she needed time to cope with those things. Once she dealt with them herself, then she could be the joyous strength everyone seemed to need her to be.

She sighed, Kagome felt weary, a bone-aching exhaustion, but she was coming to the springs now. Setting her stuff down on the rocky bank, Kagome undressed after another quick scan and entered the water. The miko felt a great tension leave her body as she succumbed to the comfort nature offered her. After a few moments of simply soaking, Kagome began rinsing the grime from her person, and with it, washing away her cares.

It was therapeutic, and just what she needed right now.

As she was rinsing the last of the soap from her body, her doubts returned. She could cry right now, and no one would notice. But she would not, Kagome was strong now, and she would not. She reached over and grabbed her shaving equipment to begin the tedious process.

All the while, Kagome was debating the pros and cons of her current situation. Pro: Kouga and the others could probably be saved if the one controlling him is killed. Con: Kagome didn't know who was controlling the youkai or how long they had been under his control.

Pro: She no longer had to be as careful around youkai because she couldn't just die. Con: While her body constantly healed itself, keeping her young for…ever, her friends and family would age and die. And she would be alone. Con: she couldn't go home. She would be an outcast, not belonging anywhere, having to constantly move so no one could discover her secret, so no mad scientist would try to dissect her to find a fountain of youth.

Kagome yelped as she cut herself. The razor in her hand had slipped her mind as she delved into her problems, and for that, she gained more. She watched as the blood slowly trickled down her leg.

Dachi had told her that she held enough power to cheat death, that within her blood flowed the power gained through centuries of lifetimes. Funny, it looked like anyone's blood to her.

She set her jaw and decided that the pity party was over. With a tiny bit of power, Kagome healed the cut then rinsed the blood away. She washed her legs in the spring and reached for her towel. As she began drying her skin, she felt uneasy, as if something was wrong.

Kagome cast her senses out again; nothing was wrong. The youkai army had not returned; none was near her. But she was not calmed. She still felt something wrong, something tickling her instincts.

Then her mind was wiped blank.

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The creature smiled at his timing. He saw through her eyes; she was not in the castle. Kagome was only a mile from his location, and she was in a rather provocative situation. He looked down her body and found that it pleased him. And he was decided.

She would be his queen.

He called her to him; commanded her presence. But he was surprised when she refused; he had blanked her mind. There should be nothing left of her to fight with; granted that was only until she came to him. When she was before him, he would use the very doubts that gave him easy access to her mind to win her voluntarily to his side.

Kagome was incredibly confused; her loyalty would be easily gained.

But she still fought him; he could certainly force her, but he was curious as to what she would fight so fiercely against. Searching through her mind, he almost laughed. She was incredibly modest.

Though it would please him greatly to see her in the current situation, it was not best to start their time together with a fight over such trivial matters. The creature allowed her to clothe herself then pressed her to his will.

And she was coming.

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Ok, so not a whole lot left to the story now, two maybe three chapters left. Sorry about the late update; I was out of town a lot longer than planned. I hope to post the next chapter next week. Its almost over, and that saddens me, but my lovely reviewers are so awesome, and I have never felt so supported as when I read your comments. Thank you from the entirety of my heart, and I hope you enjoy the ending I have planned.

Syrinx


	44. Battle of Possession

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 44 Battle of Possession

Warning: The perspective is going to change rather rapidly. I do not wish to mark every single switch with picket fences so, bear with me. I'll try to make it obvious who is the first person character, but …well we'll see, won't we?

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As the sun completed its journey and set behind the trees at their backs, Sesshoumaru and Aishi were reaching the Eastern Fortress. The taiyoukai searched the area for any signs of danger, but strangely nothing was out of the ordinary. There was supposed to be an attacking army or a field of dead and injured, but there was nothing.

This made both general and lord uneasy.

Sesshoumaru then searched specifically for Kagome, and he couldn't find her. She had become very adept at hiding all signs of her existence, but he could usually find her with a bit of concentration. In all likelihood, she was in the palace seeking solitude.

With a slight gesture to Aishi, Sesshoumaru signaled their stop just inside the ring of trees. Both still feeling uneasy about the passing silence of the manor, they would approach with caution.

However, Kagome showed much less caution. The creature had sifted through the entirety of her memories and found many things of interest. One such thing was the growing relationship between the miko and her lord. Also to his liking, were the abilities she had at her disposal, but then again, he already knew she would be a great tool to have at his beck and call.

The only thing he would have to overcome was her kindness; his queen must be able to rule, and a ruler is not the friend of her subjects. She is the monarch. But with a few mental adjustments, all within his capability, he could fix her attitude.

But Kagome's involvement with Sesshoumaru could be of great advantage. For you see, the creature could always use another body, and the taiyoukai would work magnificently. Darkness was a great warrior, as was Sesshoumaru, with those two as his alternating hosts, the creature would be unstoppable. Both bodies were immortal, but it always helps to have a back up in case one host gets damaged. :evil grin: who saw this coming?

Kagome could be a good host, too, but he enjoyed possessing males. Their thought processes were easier to understand, him being the same sex, and thus easier to predict and manipulate. Plus, it was somewhat insulting to have to mentally possess the one you are trying to woo. The creature had little scruples, but even that seemed a bit odd. He would if he was forced, but what little resistance she offered could be overcome when the taiyoukai was under his control.

With his decision made, he altered Kagome's course. She was only a short distance from the recently arrived lord, and he would take advantage of that. There was another with Sesshoumaru, but his presence could be dispatched easily enough. One thing all males understood was sex.

Kagome was aware within herself, but she couldn't do anything. It was as if she sat and watched everything happen through a window, but was locked inside with no way out. She could feel his irritation at her resistance, so she knew she was doing something with her attempts to break free, but it seemed as if she was an ant throwing pebbles at a giant.

There was one advantage her body being possessed. Kagome had access to his memories; when he was tearing through her mind to find ways to control her, she sifted through his own. As he had violated the most intimate of moments in her life, Kagome had found ways to free those under him. But the results were not promising.

In most cases, when the creature released his control over something of lesser power with lesser will, the result was insanity. Time and repeated failure to overcome the creature's control wore down the willpower, and eventually all decisions made by the master creature seemed to be their own decisions. With the ever-present mental control gone, the captive had nothing left. Fear coursed through Kagome at this knowledge. Were Kouga, Ginta, and Hakkaku destined to go mad, or could they be saved?

Another thing she previously thought was an advantage turned into disadvantage very quickly. She knew his plan; she could hear his internal thoughts like a loudspeaker across her mind. One might think that a great blessing, but now she knew his intentions toward Sesshoumaru. And now Kagome knew that she would be the tool the creature used to gain her lord. She fought against her invisible bindings with all she had. There had to be some way to break free.

Again she felt his irritation, but this time she felt as if he put more effort into controlling her. Strange. A rush of heat flew through her veins when she knew how her captor planned on isolating Sesshoumaru. She would definitely be blushing if her body was hers. He wouldn't. He couldn't. How embarrassing! But there was also an inkling of curiosity. How would her stoic lord react to such strong advances? Would he turn her down, human that she was, or was he somewhat attracted to her?

She quickly reprimanded herself. If Sesshoumaru turned her down, then he would be able to better fight the creature controlling her. But Kagome couldn't lie to herself when there was nothing else to do but think; there were no more inner thoughts to try to hide. All things subconscious that Kagome had desperately tried to ignore had been viciously exposed to sunlight by the creature with his thorough search.

It wasn't fair, finding out you love someone by having your thoughts ripped open by another. But she really didn't have much time to harp on it because her body was only a few meters from Sesshoumaru, his white and silver form standing out in the darkness like a beacon in the night.

She felt her aura being released around her, no longer hiding. Sesshoumaru and Aishi spun to face her, both visibly relaxing when they found the power behind them was Kagome. Defensive positions dropped for a more casual stance. The miko felt herself smile.

"Good evening, Lord Sesshoumaru, General Aishi." Kagome winced, the volume of her own voice nearly drowning her. The loudspeaker effect of the creature's thoughts was much more preferable to the near deafening sound of her own spoken voice.

Aishi's eyes narrowed. Kagome never addressed him with such respect unless sarcasm was laced with her words. Something was wrong; not to mention that her normally indecent attire was much worse than usual.

When Sesshoumaru's gaze fell upon Kagome, his eyes widened. Why was she outside amongst the trees at this time of night? And why was she wearing clothing that left so much of her skin bare to the elements? Her legs and arms held signs of her carelessness as branches left angry, red marks across once fair skin. Nothing was right about this situation. Kagome had more intelligence than this.

"What has happened?" Sesshoumaru's voice inflected none of his suspicions.

"The invading army disbanded, milord." Kagome spoke, and again she was pained by her own voice.

"Why are you outside the fortress?" He pressed on despite such an inadequate explanation.

Kagome watched as her eyes left Sesshoumaru and traveled to Aishi. The creature's thoughts spun through her mind, and she tried to prepare herself for what was coming. She didn't want to watch, but in her bodiless state, drifting within her own mind, she had no eyelids to close, no head to turn away.

"I was looking for you, Sesshoumaru." Her voice dropped in pitch, a low seductive sound, that Kagome thought was downright trashy. She huffed inwardly at what this thing controlling her was making her do. As soon as she got her body back, he was going to get it. But secretly, which wasn't really a secret because of shared thoughts, she wondered what affect she could have on Sesshoumaru. Maybe, maybe…

Kagome felt her body move towards Sesshoumaru, but it wasn't her normal walk. There was more swaying involved as if she was standing on a boat being rocked by the ocean. She inwardly growled and began fighting harder. This was going to end. It had to end; she couldn't ever face Sesshoumaru again if the creature truly went through with the attempt at seduction.

She felt her hands brush her thighs as her hips swayed throughout her walk to her lord. That could be overlooked, but then…Kagome flushed with indignant rage as her hands gripped her waist and flowed across her own skin, pressing against her ribcage and traveling up and down, trailing her fingertips under her tank-top and across the flesh of her stomach as a lover would.

The miko was furious. She could feel the amusement lacing through the creature at her emotions. He was enjoying her discomfort immensely. Sooner or later, he would get it. If only she had claws…

Aishi's face openly expressed his shock at her actions. He had seen many of Sesshoumaru's memories, but from not one had he gotten the impression that his lord and Kagome had shared any carnal experiences. Had his lord hidden those experiences or was there something wrong with this situation? Aishi had never seen the miko act in such a manner, but he guessed anything was possible.

Sesshoumaru knew that this was not a normal occurrence, and he knew that something was definitely wrong. That sick feeling assaulted him again. Was he too late? He looked deep into Kagome's eyes. Her blue depths promised him that she would do anything and everything he wished. Her eyes held the heat that one gains deep in the seduction; that dark light that fills the eyes when your partner knows you won't refuse, the knowledge that things had progressed too far and there was no turning back.

The things she silently promised him made his body react. Yes, she was human; yes, she would not be his, ever…but his body could care less. Sesshoumaru's mind reminded him that the miko was not for him, but his body saw a way to relieve the frustrations with which she had gifted him.

But they were in the middle of the forest, had company, and this was not Kagome. If anyone had the control to simply dismiss such advances, it was him. But despite all that, he was relieved to see life in her eyes. The being before him was not a shell or golem. Perhaps he looked at a shapeshifter who was impersonating Kagome? There was only one way to find out what was going on, he had to follow through with events long enough to discover what was coming then spring the trap before it was ready.

Aishi had noticed the near invisible movements of his lord. Sesshoumaru was shifting slightly; none other would have been able to detect them. He struggled to retain the smirk that wanted free; perhaps Sesshoumaru's choice about the miko had been made for him. He turned to his lord after all mirth had passed without being expressed on his face.

"I will take my leave of you now, milord." Aishi spoke calmly, his voice not expressing the extreme curiosity about the situation which he was willing to leave. But he could not shake the feeling that something was not right. He turned to leave, but his departure was stopped.

Sesshoumaru called out after him. "Aishi."

The general turned to look back at his lord. A heavy silence filled the air as both shared their gaze.

The creature possessing Kagome tried to enter their minds and hear their thoughts, but he was denied. Both creatures had very stout barriers barring their minds from him. He would not be able to break them from a distance. He needed to lure the lord to an area where he would have direct access to Sesshoumaru instead of having to use Kagome as his host. He watched as the heavy look ended between the youkai and watched Aishi leave.

Sesshoumaru faced the girl wondering what would happen next. He was not used to being confused about things; he did not like being unsure about the actions being taken around him. This entire situation greatly unsettled him, and the fact that he was willing to be dragged into such a situation to save Kagome spoke mountains to him. Aishi was right; he did love her. He had acknowledged that in some manner, but until now, until he was willing to risk everything to save her, when in truth he was unsure whether she was in danger, until he felt that unmistakably miserable feeling when he thought she was in danger, he had still questioned Aishi's declaration.

And with that one realization, he was thrown farther into unknown territory.

Kagome stopped inches from him; looking up into his face, she tilted her head to the side a bit and blinked slowly at him. Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed…what now. Kagome smiled at him and ran her hand over his arm, never breaking his gaze.

"I found a lovely spot by the water where we could talk. We have things we need to discuss." Kagome spoke smoothly, her voice still deeper than usual. The voice raged through her ears again, and Kagome began to wonder if you could actually get a headache if you had no physical head.

The miko seethed within her own skull. This was ridiculous; the whole situation was unimaginable. Silently she was pleased that Sesshoumaru hadn't turned down her advances, but extreme discomfort settled into her metaphysical being. Would this creature allow her first intimate act with a male, well, besides her first kiss, to happen while she was locked in what amounted to a closet within her own body? Was he really going to seduce Sesshoumaru with her body, or was it just a ploy to get him isolated?

She felt the indignant sigh of the creature and his thoughts echoed across the space within which she was contained. No, she would not share her body with Sesshoumaru, yet. Her first act would be with him, she would be his queen. Though her former lord might become his pawn as well, then Kagome would be welcome to give her body to him.

Kagome was being pushed far past her limits, but there was absolutely nothing she could do. She viciously shot back to him that she would never be his queen. She would allow herself to die first.

She felt his amusement drift over her and his answering thought. But this time, instead of just knowing what he was thinking, his exact words raged across her, searing her with his threat. 'Then I will be forced to crush your resistance. You will be mine Kagome, one way or another. Stop fighting, it is futile.'

If she had been capable of crying, she would have.

Sesshoumaru silently followed the girl he refused to believe was Kagome until she stopped and turned to him. The smile returned to her face and she started speaking to him again.

"How were your travels, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Kagome's captor purred through her mouth.

The taiyoukai was about to reply with a noncommittal response when he felt something attacking his mental shield. His eyes narrowed; otherwise, he gave no outward impression of knowing what was happening. If he could pinpoint from where it was coming, he could dispatch the being responsible. No doubt it was someone with loyalties to the one calling himself Darkness.

Creatures with such astounding mental capabilities were usually cursed with deflated and near useless bodies as a result of their psychological prowess. If the lord could find him before he broke through his defenses, there would be no effort in dispatching the youkai. Thanks to Aishi and his training sessions, the taiyoukai's defenses were in excellent shape.

Scanning the area, while continuing with the mindless banter with the girl, and retaining his composure was not an easy as it appeared while this being was battering at his mind. Sesshoumaru doubled his efforts to find his attacker, but before he succeeded, Kagome's hand gripped his. Her fingers delicately traced across the sensitive skin of under his wrist, effectively distracting him.

He felt the efforts to breach his shields increase, but he held them together.

The creature watched through Kagome's eyes and his own, observing the powerful lord resisting his attempts. Brilliant green eyes narrowed in frustration. Sesshoumaru was too strong to force his way through, but there were other ways. Doubts, confusion, and anger were tools that greatly increased the creature's chances of slipping through defenses. He quickly changed his tactic, and Kagome released Sesshoumaru.

The taiyoukai felt the barrage against his mind end as abruptly as it started, and he felt Kagome release his hand at the same time. His eyes narrowed in suspicion; he had a very good idea of what was going on but he still was uncertain how to fix the situation if he was correct.

Sesshoumaru watched as the life left Kagome's eyes, like water draining away after a rain. This upset him greatly, but he had not the time to remedy the situation because she began walking away from him. He was stopped before calling out to her by the sight of Darkness materializing in front of one of the surrounding trees. The shadows had kept him successfully hidden until he wished otherwise.

"Greetings, Lord Sesshoumaru. We meet again." Darkness called to him.

Sesshoumaru offered him no reply as he watched Kagome walk up to the foreign warrior and stopped directly in front of him, facing him. White teeth flashed against the night as Darkness smiled down at the girl. The taiyoukai watched their interaction warily.

The creature had successfully blanked Kagome's mind and left, putting all his efforts into controlling Darkness and trying to invade Sesshoumaru's mind. It would be easier to enter the taiyoukai's thoughts if he could upset the demon; with the thoughts roaming Kagome's mind, the creature had a pretty good idea of what would upset the lord.

Darkness was tall, much taller than Kagome; Sesshoumaru watched he bent his head to Kagome's neck. The dark being made an agonizing show of breathing deeply of the miko's skin, but he never removed those ebony eyes from the Western Lord. Darkness placed both hands on Kagome's shoulders and turned her to face Sesshoumaru.

Her eyes were still lifeless; she looked like a broken doll. The taiyoukai silently vowed to demolish the one responsible as painfully as possible. He stared directly into the black eyes of the one behind her. Though none but Sesshoumaru knew, the lord was dangerously close to releasing his wrath upon everything in his path until Kagome's lively spirit was returned to her.

Darkness reached down to grab Kagome's hand. He held it in his, beside them about chest high, well within Sesshoumaru's line of sight. Strong black fingers slid amongst small white digits, teasing the youkai before them.

Sesshoumaru was struck by the sight before him. She was so tiny. Darkness was a warrior of similar height to the taiyoukai, but the dark being was stouter. Muscle was corded across his shoulders and chest. Sesshoumaru was incredibly strong, but his build was slimmer.

And Kagome stood before this creature like a child. Her body, though curved and appealing, was almost consumed by the bigger man behind her. His fingers were thicker and longer; Kagome's hand looked so delicate against his. Her skin stood out in stark contrast against his, her fair flesh screamed against his skin and the night.

Sesshoumaru's perception of her changed in that second.

His Kagome, the strong, fierce, fiery woman whom he had come to respect a great deal stood before him, but he had never truly seen her like this. Fragile. She was powerful and beautiful, but now, he saw before him a delicate girl. The miko had never allowed herself to be seen like this; her posture and demeanor demanded respect. But before him now she was so delicate. Someone to be protected, handled so carefully or she'd break, cherished. If he survived long enough, he would guarantee on pain of death that the man who courted her be strong enough to protect her but gentle enough to revere her.

Or he would die, impaled upon Sesshoumaru's claws.

But that was a problem to be contemplated later. At the present, there was another pressing situation with which to be dealt. Kagome was gone; replaced by this doll which was being held by his newest nemesis. Yes, a much more pressing situation.

Onyx eyes swept down the front of Kagome's body; heat filled those eyes. Sesshoumaru almost growled, but he stopped himself when those dark eyes met his. Darkness smirked, it was time to see how far the taiyoukai could be pushed.

"She is beautiful, is she not, Lord Sesshoumaru?" His voice, already achingly deep, adopted the heat in his eyes.

Sesshoumaru did not wish for his enemy to know what Kagome was to him, so he answered harshly. "I suppose, for a bothersome, human wench."

Kagome was stuck alone in her body. The creature had vacated her mind, but she still could not retake her ability to move. She struggled, trying to push this weight from her mind, trying to unlock the door the creature had shut on her. But she froze when she heard Sesshoumaru's reply. Bothersome. Human wench. The words, though normally harmless coming from Inuyasha, struck deep through Sesshoumaru's mouth, and her efforts ceased.

Darkness smirked at Sesshoumaru. "Normally, I would have killed you for insulting my future queen in such a manner, but I am in a good mood with her pressed against me." For emphasis, the free hand slid across her stomach pressing her small body backwards, resting against him.

Sesshoumaru tried to ignore the blatantly sexual tone of the man behind Kagome, but it was incredibly hard. His only comfort was that he could not save her unless he knew what was happening. It was a cold comfort, but it would have to do for now. He concentrated on the other words Darkness had said.

Queen. It rang across his mind like a gong. His brow furrowed, that information disturbed him. Greatly

The creature knew his words through the mouth of Darkness had an effect on the male before him, but the taiyoukai hadn't gifted him with a response. He decided to move the script along faster; there was one phrase that should sink into his body like a dagger, and he would use it now.

Funny how the 'immortal' concept, his main weapon against Kagome, would be the final punch to Sesshoumaru's barrier. The creature watched anxiously from a tree. He had abandoned his traditional hiding spot under black, braided hair because if Sesshoumaru decided to attack Darkness, the master did not wish to be so close to the battle.

Darkness took his cue from his master. "My immortal bride" He murmured like a secret, sweet nothings between lovers, into the night, but it was clear to the youkai's abilities.

And Sesshoumaru stumbled. Immortal? Surely he was mistaken, Kagome was human.

Confusion was etched across Sesshoumaru's strong features, and Darkness laughed. "She didn't tell you her new discovery then? She will live as long as you and I…perhaps longer than you." The creature baited Sesshoumaru through his puppet, then turned a full battery of assaults against his mind.

But Sesshoumaru felt the first strike and fought for his shields to hold. He knew the game now, but it was much harder to grip his shields. The full force of the mental raid left him feeling a bit lightheaded, but his defenses were still intact.

Irritated that his words didn't have the desired effect, he decided to let his words carry his sentiments. And Darkness continued to be his weapon.

"It is very interesting, don't you think, Sesshoumaru?" Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed at the disrespect this thing before him was showing, but the taunts of the one called Darkness would be swallowed for now because those who are both arrogant and narcissistic often enjoy speaking of their brilliance. And in the end, Sesshoumaru wanted Darkness to speak; he wanted him to spill all of his plans and abilities.

The lord would silently wait as long as needed.

"Her immortality caused her such fear and confusion that access to her mind was easily gained, and now, her resistance, which was quite a nuisance, I assure you, was effectively killed by you. The one she tries so desperately not to love has given me full control over her; with your cruel words, her fighting ceased. Thank you, Sesshoumaru, for now I will have every part of her." His dark eyes bore into the taiyoukai's very soul, and he smiled.

The dark hand that had been pressed against her stomach moved up, running fingers through her hair, grasping the strands and tilting her head. Then Darkness forcefully brought his lips to Kagome's, his grip tightening in her hair, forcing her mouth open and searching with his lips, teeth, and tongue.

Kagome had given up. It was true; her struggles were useless anyways. And what was the point after what Sesshoumaru had said. He obviously didn't care about her freedom; he was only here to dispatch the danger to his lands then he would be on his way. The heartless youkai would probably leave her lying on the forest floor trapped within her body. It wasn't true, but to Kagome she had no doubt of its accuracy.

And now, the enemy's toy, this man, as black as night, was using her, manipulating her prison to his will, stealing the intimacy she had only shared with one other. She wanted to feel outrage, pain, irritation, determination…anything, but she couldn't. Kagome didn't feel anything but numbness, the blissful void.

She felt her power rise up within her; the dead feeling spurred the energy to attack as it had before, but Kagome couldn't bring herself to care. The last thought traveling through the void was, 'At least my power will kill me. It is better than being a pawn for the rest of my unnatural life.'

The kiss did it. Sesshoumaru's control of his defenses left when the anger flooded his mind. That thing was kissing his Kagome without his or her permission. Intolerable. Rage flew threw him instantly. Too late he realized that he was still engaged in a battle for his mind. He desperately tried to regain his barrier, but the creature had found his way in before Sesshoumaru could block his attack.

Glee filled the creature as he broke through Sesshoumaru's defenses. Now everything was at his command, Darkness, Kagome, and Sesshoumaru. Nothing could stop him now.

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Ohhh, evil cliffie! I'm going to get roasted aren't I? Heehee. Sorry folks, but I've had so many people give me these "good chapter, but I hate cliffies," reviews, when it WASN'T a cliffhanger. Therefore, I present to you this ending. I'm a sadist, yes…but its fun. I'll update soon. Until then, if you have questions or actively want to flame me, my MSN account is on my profile. I just don't have the time to answer reviews, as much as I would like to, I just can't right now.

Oh, and I couldn't resist answering this review…Skitzoflame: yes, in the books where Darkness is featured, he has a "real name" though, I'm sorry, its not Bob. lol. His name is Doyle. He is the captain of the Queen's Guard (called her Ravens), the most feared warrior among his kind. The nickname "Darkness" was given to him by the queen. In the immortal words of Mrs. Hamilton (see previous disclaimer) "He was the queen's right hand. She would say 'Where is my Darkness? Bring me my Darkness.' And someone would die or bleed or both." A Kiss of Shadows p169. Not proper documentation, but it'll do for now.

Much love, until next time.


	45. Battle Royale

Enchanted Orbs

Disclaimer: Again, if I owned Inuyasha and his companions…the world would be a better place…well for me, anyways. But I don't, so its not. And I do not own Darkness, either. He belongs to Laurell K. Hamilton, another masterful genius along with Ms. Rumiko.

Chapter 45 Battle Royale

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Aishi had silently watched everything, and he seethed for his lord. Sesshoumaru had known there was something wrong from the moment Kagome had set foot in the clearing and had sent him a mental warning not to stray too far from them. Aishi had taken his leave then doubled back only to stay hidden in the shadows of the branches overhead.

Kagome's position puzzled him. With just a small attempt to access her mind, he learned what had happened. She was being controlled by another, but the truly strange thing was that it wasn't the one behind her. The dark being that the general and taiyoukai had followed from the west was not the one in control; he was just a puppet as well.

Aishi marveled. How strong was this thing? Someone was controlling both Kagome and Darkness, and trying to break Sesshoumaru. Fear lanced through the general, he wouldn't be able to challenge this thing directly.

Closing his eyes, Aishi tapped into that seventh sense that he had always had, but never really understood. He could read minds, yes, but he could "see" them as well. The ideas and thoughts would hover within or around someone if Aishi focused his inner talents. And it was truly an amazing sight. Both Kagome and Darkness were split in half, a sort of double-vision scenario. One part of their thoughts was calm and empty, awaiting the orders of their current master. The other part was a flurry of movement; both beings were struggling against the strings of the puppeteer, and separating those two portions was a thick black rope of smoke which seemed to bind them prisoner.

Aishi was relatively aware of the master trying to brake into Sesshoumaru's mind, but the general had seen the attempts in his second sight. Those attacks were nothing to worry about, his lord could shirk them easily.

So, instead he concentrated on Kagome. The rope binding Darkness was so thick it seemed to be a wall surrounding his conscious thoughts, but Kagome hadn't been under his spell as long. Her binding wasn't as formidable.

If the general could free Kagome things would be easier. Aishi was no fool. He knew he had a mental talent, but he knew when he was beaten. And now would not be a good time to be falsely overconfident. Kagome would be able to kill the puppet master while Aishi mentally distracted him and Sesshoumaru dealt with the dark bodyguard.

While the thing attempted to break into Lord Sesshoumaru's mind, Aishi brushed his way along Kagome's mental boundaries. It was feather-light at first, like the breeze brushing past skin; then everything smashed into him at once. Instantly, he knew everything, Kagome's experiences since Aishi and she had parted only days prior were poured into him, filling him.

He felt her kinship with Kikyou and Mokuso, watched their girls' confrontation with Kariudo, Kento, and Kinzi, felt the strength seep from him as she rode atop the slayer's pet, watched her battle with the traitor, felt her fight rage and bloodlust well up inside of her, experienced her confusion and shame with Inuyasha's confrontation, and worried with her through her anxiety about Shouron's collapse. Though he'd never seen him before, Aishi now knew Lord Dachi through Kagome's memories, the general watched, enraged, as Kagome's flesh was severed and her life drained away from her, suffered her confusion as she woke up, lived through her severe terror in the night, hung his head at her shame for pleading with Kariudo to stay by her side while she slept, experienced her insecurities over the state of her life, worried over her anxiety at outliving her friends and family, rejoiced with her confidence in the success of her proposed plan, and sorrowed at the betrayal of a one time good friend, and the general felt her embarrassment and indignation at being forced to flaunt herself in front of her lord.

All in the period of less than three days. For the first time in his long life, Aishi understood the potency of human emotions, and he pitied them for more than their lack of physical strength or their lesser senses. For the first time in his long life, he begrudged the weaker race some of his respect for their ability to live and stay sane through the very thing he would rather avoid than face. Lord Sesshoumaru was the one who forced Aishi to face fierce emotions and conquer them. If not for that, the general may have run from that battle to focus on purely physical combats.

Emotion was something Aishi always hated dealing in, and here, he was forced to see the wide range that humans were exposed to daily. It gave him a tremendous feeling of shame for constantly belittling the race, but that was something to think upon later. Now was too critical a time to delve the depths of his mind.

The time it took for Aishi to experience this was minimal, equivalent to the time it took torrential rains to flood the palm of his hand. The clouds opened, and he knew.

Kagome was still trapped but he knew everything she did now. She understood how that thing's power worked; she knew his plan, knew his plans for Sesshoumaru and his plans for herself as well.

Aishi could feel Kagome fighting her imprisonment, but he could not reach her to let her know of his presence. She seemed very concerned with Sesshoumaru, too concerned to notice his efforts to save her. He attempted again to rip through her mental bindings, and with her struggling as well, he almost succeeded. But then he heard Sesshoumaru's voice echo through her mind. He felt the effects of his words cut like a knife, and she no longer struggled. Everything that had cut at her since she had left the Western Lands, every stunting emotion she had successfully repressed since her last visit home came hurling back at her with a vengeance at Sesshoumaru's words. And she broke. Aishi felt her hopelessness at her futile attempts at freedom, and she resisted no longer.

Aishi could've kicked Sesshoumaru. Only a few more moments and Kagome may have been freed, but he couldn't pull her free without her helping from the other side.

He quickly started recalculating his plan, reconfiguring the odds of success with his different options. Maybe he and Sesshoumaru would be enough of a distraction. Aishi readjusted his senses and focused on his surroundings with eyesight. Trying to assess the locations of every player, Aishi looked for the master, but he was well hidden. The easiest solution would be to just kill the master, but Aishi was unaware of what the consequences would be. If the master was killed, what would happen to those under his power? Would Kagome be alright? Best not to risk it; his lord would be extremely displeased.

His eyes went back to Sesshoumaru facing down Darkness only to see the foreign entity kiss Kagome. Aishi knew the reaction his lord would have to such an affront to the girl, but before he could do anything, he felt Sesshoumaru's mental defenses shatter. He didn't have anymore time to think through his actions.

The general let his instincts take over; nature told him he was battling two enemies. One was unseen, the other was right in front of him. Immediately, Aishi pulled a dagger from his boot and flung it at Darkness. He didn't want him dead. No, he needed as many distractions for the master as possible.

The dagger embedded itself in the swell of muscle over his chest, opposite his heart, and right next to Kagome's ear. It was a risky shot, but since the black being dwarfed the girl, there was much of him exposed at which to aim.

Dimly he registered a power surge from the girl, white flames began licking along her body. But his lord was in danger; nothing else mattered at this point.

The dagger had the desired effects, the master was distracted by the injury to his most useful puppet. While it tried to locate the additional threat and put a stop to it, Aishi quickly tried to free his lord. Sesshoumaru was still viciously fighting his mental enslavement, and it took little time for him to regain his control.

Aishi warned him not to move so the master wouldn't be alerted yet as both he and his lord reconstructed the shattered defenses. The general used his own power to defend his lord, putting himself in greater danger, but he would give his life for the taiyoukai if need be.

By this time, the master had re-inhabited Darkness and pulled the dagger from his body. The Darkness was immortal and could not be killed by this injury; it would be healed by sunrise. But there was someone out there who had slipped under their notice. He withdrew once again from his bodyguard to search for the new foe.

The general had successfully hidden himself from the enemy with the same defenses he had perfected practicing with Sesshoumaru, but now that his efforts were focused on his lord's protection, he could no longer remain hidden. Their combined efforts of rebuilding his defenses were almost complete when Aishi felt the master's attention crash into him like a tidal wave.

His defenses shook but they held. He quickly sent a mental message to Sesshoumaru. 'I am not strong enough to fight him alone. He will break me. Distract him. Fight Darkness. Do not kill him.' Aishi jumped to the forest floor to make himself known to all.

Sesshoumaru was more than irked that his general was telling him not to kill the thing he wished to slaughter, but he trusted his general. He had heard his words; the taiyoukai knew the fight was a distraction. A dead Darkness was no longer a distraction. Lord Sesshoumaru quickly unsheathed his sword and lunged at his opponent. Toukijin was thrust into the shoulder of his rival, building on the injury Aishi had dealt him.

As he pulled his sword from black flesh, Sesshoumaru's free hand wrapped around Kagome's arm; with a graceful leap backwards, his Kagome and his sword were freed from Darkness. Sesshoumaru knew there was more happening to Kagome. He saw the ethereal flames licking at her and the unnatural wind whipping around her.

When he touched her, he felt the power surrounding her spike. He leaned down to her. "I need you here, Kagome." He whispered to her ear before leaving her with Aishi and running back to face off with Darkness.

From within her prison, Kagome saw everything. It touched something inside her to know that the first thing Sesshoumaru did once reinforcements had arrived was to save her. His whispered words confused her but gave her hope. Whether he meant that he needed her help in battling Darkness, which was an unlikely admission for him, he needed her to be able to protect herself so as not to be a distraction, or that he just needed her, Kagome didn't know. But his words and actions gave her strength, and she began to fight the energy trying to consume her.

The power still beat at her, the wind still whipped around her, but she could hold it off. She had to hold it off. Kagome didn't know what would happen if her own energy destroyed her, but if what Dachi said was true, the power had to go somewhere. Would that strengthen the people around her or just create a massive explosion as its release? She didn't know, and she could not risk the lives of her lord and Aishi. Kagome had to hold it off, and she would…if it took everything she was.

Aishi was under the strain of a full mental barrage, but his defenses were holding well enough for him to try his own attacks. The two were locked in a fierce battle without ever touching one another. Aishi would break through and catch a glimpse of his mind only to be thrown back out as the master would find a chink in his shield and snatch at the general's mind before a brutal ejection.

The one thing Aishi kept getting from his break-ins was fear. The master's terror would spike to huge proportions when Kagome's power would flare. It didn't make since. If the master had complete control over Kagome, why was he scared of what was happening? There was a sudden sharp, tearing sensation as another attack made its way through Aishi. He knew he wouldn't last much longer if something wasn't done quickly.

Sesshoumaru reveled in his battle. As his sword was placed against the black flesh of his opponent's neck, life filled ebony eyes. The taiyoukai almost smiled in anticipation. He had wanted this fight since his home had been taken from him, and now it was time. In a blur, Darkness raised his arm, knocking Toukijin away from his neck and holding the steel against his forearm preventing its immediate use, and drawing his own blade with the other arm.

Sesshoumaru blocked the incoming sword with his claws as he watched a trickle of blood drip down Darkness's neck from Toukijin's quick departure. The taiyoukai could also smell the blood that had been spilt from his opponent's arm as he knocked away his sword.

Both warriors pushed against the other testing their strength before leaping backwards. Sesshoumaru paused, waiting for Darkness to make a move, but the foreign being stayed quite calm. Darkness bowed, a slight incline of his head with his sword brought vertically before his face. His sword was nothing Sesshoumaru had ever seen, it appeared to be steel; it had rung across his claws as solidly as steel, but it was as black as the man's flesh. It had an inscription across it, near the hilt in a language which was unfamiliar to Sesshoumaru.

The lord was unfamiliar with the practice Darkness was using, but he recognized the gesture as one of respect towards an opponent. Sesshoumaru dropped his head in a respectful bow, but never took his eyes from Darkness. Then the battle began anew.

Darkness thrust his sword at Sesshoumaru who easily blocked it, flinging it to the side and twisting Toukijin to catch a slice of black flesh. His opponent was aware of his intent and stepped away from the threat until his sword was back in position to attack and defend. A downward swing from the dark sword tried to catch the lord unaware, but Sesshoumaru elegantly leapt away, twisting in air to counter the swing with his own. Darkness blocked the attack before lounging after Sesshoumaru.

Their speed was equal.

The taiyoukai's mind was quickly assessing his opponent, testing for any weaknesses, plotting the next move. It seemed his mastery of swordplay would not win this battle. Sesshoumaru had many other options, but he was hesitant to try any of them. He was enjoying the battle. Darkness was a worthy opponent. Sesshoumaru also remembered well that Aishi needed the distraction.

Sesshoumaru decided it was time to test how worthy his opponent was. He once again charged at Darkness; offensive attack after offensive attack was launched, but the taiyoukai left the tiniest of weaknesses open on his left side. He wanted to know how observant Darkness was. His last blow was deflected and his opponent thrust his sword towards the small opening. Sesshoumaru didn't have time to completely avoid the strike, but his speed was great enough to contain the blow to only a shallow wound.

But the greatest joy came from this newest bit of knowledge portrayed by the blood splatter. The fact that Darkness found the opening was unimportant now for he had learned much more.

Darkness stood before him completely clean of the youkai's blood.

It takes decades of near constant battles to be able to know the path of blood your sword will forge and be able to avoid it. Sesshoumaru knew this from his own experiences. It took great ability and knowledge to maintain his pristine appearance on the battle field, and it had taken years upon years to gain that knowledge of bloodspray.

Sesshoumaru smiled. He had underestimated his opponent, and he luxuriated in the battle to come. With two quick flicks of his fingers, his whip lashed across the clearing and connected with his opponent. The Western Lord had greater and more powerful attacks, but he did not wish this to end yet; he desired to know more of the being before him.

A blur of shadow, and Sesshoumaru saw his fluorescent whip wrapped around Darkness's forearm. The smell of sulfur rang through the forest, and the lower part of what was once a long black sleeve fell to the ground as the acidic whip began searing at Darkness's skin.

Before he could blank his face, Darkness let a grimace show his opponent the pain his weapon caused. It had truly been too long since he had seen his home if he allowed his pain to portray anything but boredom and arrogance.

Darkness stood before the taiyoukai. His sword held in his right hand, the whip wrapped around his left forearm, which was held before his face. That dark face leaned forward, and ebony eyes inspected the whip. He trained his face into his amused masked, and he asked a question to distract from his slip.

"Foreign magic? Interesting." His deep voice reflected amused boredom, condescending and arrogant, the personality of his people. All traces of the pain surrounding his arm were gone.

But Sesshoumaru was well aware of his opponent's plight. "It is not magic." He explained, his voice as bland as grains of sand, reflecting nothing. "The whip is forged from my own power and laced with my venom." He had earned Sesshoumaru's respect, and the lord wished to know more of this creature.

Yanking his arm backward, Darkness tried to pull Sesshoumaru off-balance. The taiyoukai only smirked as the whip tightened around his arm and grew longer to compensate for the distance it was pulled. Another flick of his fingers and the whip dissipated into the air as if it were never there.

"Have you magic?" Darkness continued his questioning.

Sesshoumaru nodded slightly. "But I do not use it in combat; trickery is for those with no honor among my kind." His words showed his position but kept his words from being insulting to another race. Sesshoumaru was not fool enough to believe the world saw things the same way his people did. He respected Darkness, and he would not insult one he held in esteem unless insulted in turn.

"Among my people, our magic is our strength. We live and breathe the magic of our race. Battle prowess is only necessary in war or single combat." Darkness explained, but as he did, he brought up his left arm. Sesshoumaru noticed the arm was welted and raw, his skin completely gone, exposing muscle, in the place where his whip had been. Very near that wound was the wound from Toukijin that had begun this battle.

Sesshoumaru nodded. They were alike, the two of them. Both great warriors of their respective races, colliding in combat; they understood one another. They had battled physically with weapons and found their equal, but Darkness had other means of defeating Sesshoumaru, and he was, in the way of warriors, asking to use it without being dishonorable in Sesshoumaru's eyes.

It was no longer a mortal battle between enemies. Sesshoumaru recognized the master's absence as soon as life filled Darkness's eyes. This was the joy battle being tested against a race never before encountered.

"Being without magic is a disadvantage." Darkness spoke as he brought his left palm up, facing the sky, held right before his chest. Sickly green flames sprung to life in his hand, casting an eerie light into the surrounding trees.

Sesshoumaru smirked. "Perhaps." He never said that magic wasn't used against him, just that he did not use it against others unless his life or the life of others depended on it.

Those green flames were suspended over Darkness's hand, and then they were crawling across Sesshoumaru's body. There was nothing to dodge, they were just there. It was horribly painful, and it took everything Sesshoumaru had not to wince. But a lord does not show his opponent his pain. He simply stood there for what felt like forever training his face to show nothing.

His clothing was untouched, and the flames held no heat. It was just as Darkness had said; it was magic. There was no logic to it except that it was Darkness that controlled the flame, and if Sesshoumaru wanted it stopped he had to break his opponent's concentration.

Claws flexing minutely, Sesshoumaru watched as the sickly green of the flames surrounding his left hand became the bright green of his acid. Raising his arm, Sesshoumaru locked eyes with his opponent then released his acid in a spray across his body.

Red whelps immediately began to rise on the man's skin, but his face did not reveal his pain, and his concentration did not weaken. Both males stood there silently as their skin, their bodies, screamed at them. It seemed to both as if their skin was melting away from their bones, but still their silence held.

Darkness bowed his head towards Sesshoumaru. "You still do not use magic against me, even as my flames consume you." He shook his head, his braid swinging across his back. "Powerful magic surrounds your sword, and yet, you have not used it against me. Or does the magic in your sword strengthen you and your skills?"

The taiyoukai was highly amused by his opponent. It had been long since he felt this way. He stood before one with skills in the same areas as he, himself, excelled. Even though they were enemies, the lord could not help but feel a sort of kinship to this warrior. "It has been long since I have enjoyed such a battle with one who possesses such skill. I do not wish the battle to end as of yet." Neither male let their voice hold pain; they stubbornly let the acid or flames ride them.

Darkness smiled. "A high compliment, but I wish to know your magic. I assure you, I will not die with your attack. You can take my head, and with proper stitches, I will be healed in a few days time. I would be honored to face your attack." His deep voice echoed through the clearing.

_IIIIA/N To those who have read Laurell K. Hamilton's Merry Gentry series: If you have read Seduced By Moonlight, it speaks of Onilwyn possibly dying because of his near decapitation by the queen in her blood lust, so you may disagree with that statement. HOWEVER, the information surrounding that scene speaks of a time before the first and second weirding when the royal court sidhe were capable healing such wounds. Since this is Feudal Japan, I am paralleling the time in Europe. This would be before the fey agreed to lessen their magic in order to remain in their homeland; therefore, Darkness would be able to survive decapitation at this time.IIIII_

Sesshoumaru was somewhat weary about this decision; it seemed as though Darkness was eager to face magic that could destroy any opponent. Might he possess the ability to reflect attacks back onto the owner? If he did, Sesshoumaru was confident Tenseiga would protect his life, but it would take time to heal the wounds left by Toukijin. Should he take the invitation? If not, how to decline without offending?

Darkness laughed at the confusion etching the taiyoukai's features. "My lord, my request is simple. With every strike, every blow we aim at each other, I feel the bonds of my captivity weakening. I wish my true freedom, not the leash I am currently on. I will heal your attack, and I will have the freedom to return to my home."

Aishi was tiring quickly, but his plan was working. He knew that the master was not capable of directing Darkness through a battle with one possessing the skills of Lord Sesshoumaru, so it was forced to loosen his hold enough to allow Darkness to fight the battle himself. But Aishi had felt the foreign being's fierce resistance to the master's domination. It took the master's constant attention to hold the leash he had put on his main puppet, and even greater concentration to be in a position where he could trap Darkness again as soon as the battle ended.

That with the addition of the master's fear of Kagome's unnatural power surges, and Aishi's mental attacks had pushed its power to the limit. The general gathered his concentration and launched one last attack. If this failed…Aishi didn't want to know what would happen if this failed.

He released his mental attack. Immediately, as he felt it leave his mind, Aishi grabbed Kagome and leapt towards the hiding place of the master. As his hand wrapped around Kagome's arm, her power spiked again. The master mentally screamed in terror.

It was enough. The combined efforts of Aishi, Darkness, and Kagome shattered the concentration and defenses of the master.

Aishi felt the remainder of his final attack continue past the shards of shielding and enter his opponent's mind. He was exhausted, but he had to find the strength to trap the master or all was lost. As he attempted to find more strength within him, he felt Kagome's power seep into his body from where his skin touched hers.

He expected it to hurt; her purity was not something easily mixed with a youkai's power, but it was surprisingly soothing, calming his racing heart and supporting his ambition. Aishi quickly built shields and barriers around the master's consciousness. The shields that Aishi had helped build to protect Sesshoumaru's mind now worked to hold the master hostage within his own body. He drew more power from Kagome, and used her knowledge to lock him behind many miko's barriers as well.

Now that the immediate danger had passed, Aishi began to explore the master's mental sanctuary. It was not a physical place; more a metaphysical world, similar to a dreamscape one can hold after waking.

Aishi found himself at the center. It was as if he stood on the hub of a wheel, spokes went out from him in all directions like paths he could follow. He knew what these were, and he wondered which led to Kagome. Immediately, the spokes spun before him, until a single path stood before him. Before he could travel down it to free her, he felt Sesshoumaru's power spike.

Ripping himself out of the dreamscape, Aishi turned to his lord. What he saw shocked him. Sesshoumaru appeared to be made of living green flame and was pointing Toukijin at Darkness who was covered in Sesshoumaru's acid.

He panicked. Aishi sped back into the master's mind, found Darkness's path, and shouted into his mind. 'Your former master is defeated. Release my lord, or I shall crush your mind!'

It took more concentration than normal to control Toukijin because of the constant pain, but Sesshoumaru gathered his power, pointed the sword at Darkness. He looked into his opponent's eyes, giving him one last chance to back down, but the taiyoukai knew he wouldn't. No true warrior would rather live helplessly, bowing to one unworthy, than die in combat with another warrior.³

Just before he released Toukijin's blast, the pain stopped and the flames faded, but those black eyes still met his own, so he released. Red sparks flew from the point like fiery spears, and after a moment it was over. When the dust cleared, Darkness was on his knees, one palm on the ground supporting his weight. There were deep gashes across his body in several places and a hole through his stomach, but he still breathed. He raised his head and met Sesshoumaru's eyes. "Brilliant, my lord."

Sesshoumaru bowed his head in return for the compliment. Before he could say anything else, he felt a dramatic climax to Kagome's power.

Something on his face must have shown his concern to Darkness for he spoke. "Go to her."

Sesshoumaru needed no more encouragement. Quickly he made his way to Kagome but stilled at what he saw. She was entrenched within her own whirlwind, her hair whipping about her and the flames swirling about her. Kagome had become her own force of nature.

The taiyoukai looked at Aishi who stood near her with his eyes closed and tight and his jaw clenched, his expression of concentration. Sesshoumaru could contain his worry no longer. Damning the consequences, the lord went to her side.

His hand hesitated for the briefest of seconds before resting across her cheek. The winds and flame around Kagome expanded to encompass him as well. Around them the ferocity of her power built, but within her storm, all became calm as Kagome fought to stave off her power and Sesshoumaru fought to save the one he loved.

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A/N: I apologize in advance. It took me so damn long to write this, erase it, re-write it, re-erase it, then suck it up and re-rewrite it, that I haven't proofread this version. When you find grammatical errors and typos, please forgive me, but I needed to just post this when I finished otherwise I would have thought it stupid and unworthy again and erased it again and you would have never gotten your update.

Its just that, this is one of the last chapters, ya know? I feel like there's no going back and fixing it if it isn't good enough I know, not true, but I can't help how it feels so I wanted to make everything fit, and everything perfect it'll never happen so I couldn't bring myself to be happy with any version of this chapter. I finally decided, like it or not, this was my third draft and I was sticking with it. Hope you like it more than I did while writing it.

³Statement refers to one of my favorite quotes from the play _Agamemnon_ spoken by Aeshylus "Never, better to die on your feet than live on your knees."


	46. Unsaid Intentions

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 46: Unsaid Intentions

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Kagome was no longer aware of anything around her as she had been. The being that had forced her into her own mental prison was gone, but now there was nothing holding her but her own power. The magic within her threatened to consume her, and she was having great difficulty pushing it back under her control.

It wasn't simply her guiding the power anymore. There was another force behind it, something that reveled in the destruction which would occur if she let go of her power. That same force drifted along her senses trying to convince her of how futile it was to resist, of how tired she was and the rest that would come of her succumbing to the power, of the warmth and comfort of sinking into the void.

But this wasn't her voice; though she did remember hearing it before. In an instant she realized where, and she set her determination against it more. It was the same voice that fueled her rage and anger when she fought Gooman; it was the force that made her wish to torture and play with the weaker soldier. It was the demon Midoriko had fought for so long within the jewel.

Dachi was right; the demon had followed the power of the jewel into Kagome to try to cause more damage and inflict more harm. It remained silently within her, waiting for her weakest states to emerge, when she was unable to crush it with her pure thoughts, when exhaustion and depression opened her to other thoughts.

The demon's voice of gentle persuasion changed the second she realized its origin. It no longer tried to convince her; now its goal was to crush her. Her power closed in around her, enclosing her in yet another prison. Only this one was far more dangerous than the mental cell she just escaped.

But Kagome couldn't stop it this time. The demon had gained control of the building power within and goaded it into overwhelming her. It would mean her death and the passing of the demon spirit, but the destruction she would cause would be enough to satisfy the demon. Kagome could feel its anticipation of the devastation.

It wasn't something Kagome had ever faced before. She wasn't sure of how to defeat herself, but she knew she had to do something because her efforts to push the magic back were no longer working.

Somehow she knew that if the power reached her, she would die and obliterate everything near her. She knew in the pit of her stomach she had to escape, but how? This was not a building surrounding her that she just needed to find the right door or hallway. This was magic, power that was closing in from every side, an all encompassing force. How did she escape that? And it wasn't as if she could run away, one can't escape their own body. Kagome despaired but still continued to fight the energy reigning down around her, wondering how much longer she had left of her life.

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After Aishi had felt Sesshoumaru release Toukijin, he no longer feared for his lord. He quickly retreated into Kagome's mind to try to help her push back the power threatening to consume her. He wasn't sure what had caused her to lose the control she usually possessed, but she had, and stopping the potential expulsion of her power was all that mattered now.

He found the path into her mind again, but he couldn't follow it. The flames that surrounded her body kept him from entering her mind. He tried again to push into her consciousness, but her power repelled him and caused a searing pain to wash over him from inside out. Aishi thought it was her mind's way of protecting her from being possessed again, but he still couldn't help but feel frustrated at the defeated attempt.

The general emerged from his trance. He scanned the area for any potential dangers. Darkness was not too far from them on his knees. His posture was straight and his eyes were closed as if meditating. Aishi's eyes then switched to Sesshoumaru. His lord stood so close to Kagome, his arms enveloping her, and Aishi knew if Kagome's power wasn't halted all of them would die.

Its not like they could escape it, the explosion caused by a sudden release would encompass farther they could run in the short amount of time remaining.

Aishi grimaced, this was not good. He shifted his senses to their surroundings; there was nothing he could do now but pray that his lord could pull Kagome from this state and protect them from any who would attempt to harm them in the mean time.

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Sesshoumaru stood before Kagome, his arms holding her to him, but she was completely limp. Without the support he was giving, she would have fallen to the ground in a heap. He was completely lost as to what to do. The taiyoukai knew the dire nature of the situation he was in, but hadn't the slightest idea how to fix it. He had tried speaking with her, but her glazed eyes hadn't cleared in the least. Empty pools frightened him. He had tried shaking her, but her body hadn't even tensed to regain her balance.

A sudden sense of hopelessness overwhelmed him.

This was wrong, so wrong. Fate had forced him to fall for another only to lose her to some tragic misuse of the power that had drawn him to her in the first place. He had his duty to the Western Lands, but nothing mattered to him at that moment other than the delicate woman he held.

Memories washed over him. They say your life flashes before your eyes before you die, but he didn't see his life. He saw the times he and Kagome shared. His thoughts drifted to their kiss, and he experienced regret.

He regretted that she had been the one to instigate it. He regretted that he had not been brave enough to do it himself. He regretted that he might not get the chance to feel her mouth moving against his ever again.

Sesshoumaru stared down at Kagome, so fragile and pliant in his arms. Her mouth called to him; he wanted to taste her lips again before it all ended. Pain tore through him as his lips caressed her warm, unresponsive flesh. Nothing signaled that she had even felt the stolen kiss.

She still tasted sweet, but it was bitter now without her passion-igniting responses. Sesshoumaru cradled her head in his hand and held her face to his, pressing his cheek to hers.

This was so wrong. Didn't they say love conquered all? Before Kagome, he had dismissed the saying as emotional drivel, but now he wished beyond all hope that they were right.

Because he loved her, and that should be enough.

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It was time. There was no more room for her, and her power was so close to consuming her body that if she took a single step forward she would walk through the encroaching flames. Kagome took a deep breath, and resigned herself to saying her goodbyes to loved ones, praying that somehow they would hear her.

The miko blinked slowly trying to calm her mind from the fierce battle she had been fighting for what seemed an eternity.

But when she opened her eyes, she saw something strange. A slight discoloration interrupted the sterile, white walls of flame. The flames reminded her of the bleached halls of a hospital, but there was a point of light coming through.

A prismatic sparkle ripped a hole in the austere, white flames and extended itself in a rope of brilliant, white radiance. Kagome hunched in on herself, thinking this was an outcropping of the power in attempts to consume her faster. But the rope came nonetheless.

It touched her, and nothing happened. It lighted on the center of her chest…and just stopped.

Kagome just looked at it bewildered as the flames thrashed about her, ever encroaching. The light looked to be carved out of a prism, and a rainbow of colors showed from every angle. It was as if some master craftsman carved a chain necklace of pure diamond.

The demon responsible for Kagome's plight hissed at her sudden distraction, and resolved to bring her attention back to him. You see, her fighting the power, her terror at what would happen should she fail, gave him reign over the flames. Kagome's attention to the demon and what he was doing fuelled the power he held over her. This sudden distraction was not wanted. The confusion she gave to this newest discovery robbed him of what he needed, what he desired.

Curious as to what it was, Kagome reached up to it; her fingers tentative. With a deep breath of courage, she ran her hand over it.

The barest touch of her fingers over the light, gave her back the feeling of her body. She was dimly aware of warmth at her shoulders, warmth in front of her. A cool brush of breeze kissed her face.

The flames smoldered at her, trying to draw her back into the prison around her, but she was unconcerned at the moment, her curiosity overwhelming.

Steadying herself, Kagome's caress of the rope changed. With a deep breath, she gripped the rope fiercely. And she was jolted back into her body. Holding the rope, Kagome could once again see everything around her. She could see everything as clearly as if she had painted the picture herself. She saw Sesshoumaru holding her by the shoulders as he despaired at her unresponsive body; heartache and confusion tore at her. That is, until she saw the rope connecting Sesshoumaru's chest to hers. But before she could process the exact meaning behind it, he pressed her pliant body against his, and cradled her head with his hand.

It was at this point that Kagome realized that even though she could see the world surrounding her, she still couldn't move.

And she could still feel the demon guiding the power inside her into a monumental collision of power to destroy everything it could. It was a huge deal; it was something that could end so much life that surrounded her.

But as important as that should have been, it wasn't. What was important was the feeling of strong arms wrapped around her body, holding her like a lifeline. What was important was the veil of silver hair that fluttered across her vision. What was important was the warmth of Sesshoumaru pressed against her cheek. That was so very important.

She wanted to hold him to her; she wanted to turn her face into his. But she still couldn't move. Frustration filled her until she felt the ominous push of her power again. She had run out of time. Fear thrilled through her when she realized that Sesshoumaru was in her arms and would be the first to die. And that fear caused the energy within her to push to a mountainous peak. As the power built to a climax, she frantically tried to regain control, causing it only to peak quicker.

Just when everything was about to blow, her panic was halted by tiny words whispered into her hair. "Please, Gods, no. I love her."

Kagome's world hollowed into a pinpoint then exploded outward, and she knew she could die happy. Nothing mattered at that point except him.

The rush of power that should have flowed over her and tore her body apart from inside out didn't come. Instead, a rush of exhilaration like she had never before felt flooded through her body, through her limbs, replenishing strength.

And she could move again.

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Sesshoumaru was reduced to doing the one thing he had never done before. Beg. As he held Kagome in his arms and felt the overwhelming power building, he pleaded to whatever god would hear and take pity on him.

It really was the gods' fault, anyways. Who else but the spinners of fate would be able to pull him into this position? And who else would know how to resolve what they had brought about?

So he uttered a plea to them in the barest of whispers. None would ever humble him enough to speak such an entreaty aloud, but for her, this once, he could breathe a request in hopes they would grant it.

The words were released into Kagome's hair, right above her ear. Then he clenched his jaw, closed his eyes, and waited for the explosion of her untamed power to decimate everything in its path.

But that was not what happened. Instead, he felt Kagome shift in front of him. Then her arms wrapped around his waist. He pulled back quickly, wanting, needing to see the light in her eyes. Needing to reassure himself that this was truly his Kagome.

Beautiful oceans of blue stared back at him, and she smiled weakly.

Sesshoumaru enveloped her into his tight embrace once again, not believing or understanding what had just happened. Her power had built and built around her; then it seemed as if she just swallowed it back into her body. It was still there, but dissipated. It was no longer wild magic without a master. She had tamed it. He didn't understand it, but he didn't care as long as she was safe.

Nothing else mattered, and he reveled in the feel of her arms pressing him to her. It was the greatest feeling, and that says a lot when one thinks of how little feeling he actually received through his armor.

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When Kagome's power shrank back into her body, Aishi praised the gods above him. After his failed attempt to soothe her back into control through her mind, he realized the situation was out of his hands. He trusted his lord to bring everything into its proper place, but as her energy began to swell and stir more violently than previously, he started to doubt his life span.

And the only thing he could really think of was his promise. If he died, he lied to Mokuso. He told her…he gave his honor to her in the form of a vow, and his death would mean he wouldn't return to her despite how long she waited. It is true that he would be stripped of honor, something he had worked his entire life to achieve and maintain, but honor wasn't what he was concerned with.

Aishi would be robbed of the time he had anticipated, time Sesshoumaru would have given him leave to spend with her, time he could have used to start scouting for proper land to build a habitat for them to share.

Time he could have spent building a family.

It wasn't something he ever really considered before. A family was just something taken for granted, something he would eventually acquire. But as he realized that might never happen, as his death felt imminent, it became something he longed for, something he regretted missing out on.

And he missed her. Aishi pictured her face, her hair, neck, shoulders, her delicate hands, her dainty feet, and he hoped that if he lost himself in his thoughts of her, wrapped himself within her image, death wouldn't be so bad. The pain of a miko's purity would be bearable if he was with her, and he wished he could see her just one more time before death took him, but that would mean her death as well. And that was unacceptable.

She would live, and he prayed for her happiness.

And as he made his peace, as he prepared himself for death, Kagome's power dissipated. Saying he was relieved is like saying the ocean is damp.

He turned his attention to his lord and Kagome. He almost smiled at the image of them; the two held each other like he would hold Mokuso as soon as he met her again.

He had planned to leave them be, let them enjoy the other, but something tugged at his senses telling him he couldn't allow it, not if he was still his lord's protector. It seems Shouron and several others were approaching.

The extensive displays of power must have forced them from behind the walls of the Eastern estate to investigate. It was not the most ingenious move a general could make, for it could easily be a trap laid by enemies to draw the soldiers away from the safety of the palace walls. Aishi realized that was most likely what kept them from coming sooner, but the flare of both Kagome's and Sesshoumaru's power must have convinced him of the sincerity of the need.

Too bad that, had Kagome not regained control of her energy, they all would have been running towards their demise. Aishi almost found this amusing; the situation was not without irony.

But the arrival of strangers meant the forced separation of Sesshoumaru and his love. The taiyoukai was not one to flaunt relations, and if he knew his lord, Sesshoumaru would want to announce his intentions before the knowledge became public.

So he was forced speak, forced to break the embrace. "My Lord Sesshoumaru, others are approaching quickly."

Kagome felt Sesshoumaru tense at the words of Aishi; she, also, felt his reluctance to release her. Though she didn't want him to let go, something inside her felt warm at his reluctance. There was a blossom of heat in her chest grew when his fingers tightened around her shoulders. His head dipped to her ear, brushing his hair against her cheek.

"We have much to discuss, but it must wait for a private setting." As soon as the words were heard, he stepped a suitable distance away from her. Kagome stood on her own for less than a second before her knees gave out. Her body plummeted towards the ground but was stopped by an arm around her waist.

Sesshoumaru sighed. "You did not tell me you were unable to stand." His voice was even but hard in his irritation at her silence.

Kagome smiled, abashed. "Had I known, I would have told you."

He nodded in response and wrapped the other arm under her legs. Kagome reclined in his arms, too weak from fighting her own power to stand on her own. She could tell Sesshoumaru was not happy; she knew he did not wish to be seen in this position. It made her heart sink.

The way he had held her, the pain on his face made her think that he cared for her in more than a professional way. She knew had a very private personality, but it just seemed like he was ashamed of her, that he would lock her away in a tower for no one to know of save him. A toy he would take out to play with on special occasions.

He was ashamed of her. The thought ripped through her body like it was nothing more than paper in the way of an avalanche. But why? Was she not strong enough? That couldn't be true. She had proven her strength by fighting alongside his generals.

It had to be because she was human. That was the only other reason she could think of. Her human heritage, her blood, despite her power made her his inferior. He was a taiyoukai, and she would never be good enough for him.

Her heart clenched. But what was that light? The rope that connected them. It looked like the affection lines she used to enjoy. The light emitting from it sparkled like a diamond, reflecting every color in the spectrum, a combination of every good emotion that can exist between two beings. What else could that be but love?

Obviously love wasn't enough. Like a beloved toy from childhood to which the owner is too attached to throw away, but is a cause of shame, something to be hidden anytime company visits. A worn, tattered comfort that is and always will be loved but looks like garbage to any other.

Kagome loved him; she knew this, but she would not subject herself to such. She would not hide from the sunlight simply because he believed she wasn't enough. Her heart clenched at her thoughts, but what else could she do?

Freak. The thought echoed in her mind, and all at once her previous doubts came to the surface again. She was human; she would never belong amongst the arrogant youkai who surrounded the one she loved.

But she wasn't quite human anymore, either. She could surround herself with those who looked like her, but she would never truly belong. Kagome would have to leave when people became suspicious of her. A rogue.

Because Dachi had explained to her that she wouldn't die. Not unless she wished it. And her body would continuously borrow the power within it to heal itself. She wouldn't age because her body would not allow the skin to age, her muscles would never sag or grow weak like others who grow old. And she would watch those she loved, those she held closest, she would watch as they slowly die around her.

And she would face eternity alone.

She knew Sesshoumaru and other youkai didn't age as well; however, it seemed like she would be placed in a box until associating with humans was more acceptable. No. She wouldn't do it.

Kagome felt something inside her die at those thoughts. There, wrapped in Sesshoumaru's arms, a place she thought should feel the safest, she felt the most vulnerable. And she hated the feeling.

Shouron and about ten others broke through the trees and bowed before Sesshoumaru. They had expected chaos, but the only signs of a struggle were a small amount of blood on Sesshoumaru's left side, and a dark figure, barely seen in the dim light of the moon, which smelled strongly of blood Sesshoumaru's venom.

And there before the soldiers present, stood Sesshoumaru. In his arms was Kagome, so weak she seemed before death. Shouron was shocked at this. He knew Sesshoumaru had conflicting emotions for the girl, but he stood here practically proclaiming his intents and daring any to challenge him. It was quite unexpected.

The soldiers, who had no idea of their lord's associations with the strange human miko, were almost too stunned to bow before their superior. A mistake Shouron reminded of quickly.

"My lord." He spoke louder than necessary as he bowed.

The youkai behind him quickly followed the example. Kariudo, who had frantically followed as soon as he noticed Kagome was missing, followed the entire scene with his eyes. Everything was beyond strange to him.

And he was worried. Kagome's aura was so weak right now when it was normally rather overbearing. Ever since the confrontation with Gooman, Kagome had not bothered subduing the power behind her aura. But now, it was almost non-existant. What had happened to the woman Dachi had warned him to protect? He doubted he would ever forgive himself if she didn't recover. She seemed to pure of heart to fall into such despair.

Sesshoumaru barely acknowledged their arrival. Instead his gaze swung to Aishi. "Find him, make sure he is of no further threat, then bring him here."

The new arrivals were curious in their ignorance, but the others knew exactly to whom the taiyoukai was referring, the master who had made Darkness and Kagome into puppets and had almost succeeded in manipulating Sesshoumaru as well.

As Kagome's power threatened to wipe out all who were near, the possible escape of the creature was of no concern. If Sesshoumaru, Aishi, and Darkness could not run fast or far enough to escape the blast, then neither could that creature. He would die as well. But now as that scenario was no longer the present situation, the beast would have to be hunted down and subjected to the proper punishment for the crimes he had committed against the lords of the lands.

Aishi nodded then disappeared into the woods.

Sesshoumaru's gaze shifted from the spot Aishi had once occupied to his warriors. Kagome noticed he hadn't once looked at her since he had picked her up. And she couldn't take it anymore. The embrace her had held her in spoke of passion, the intimate way his arms held her to his chest now spoke of affection, but he refused everything.

He simply ignored her as if she wasn't there, and Kagome hated him for it. She still loved him, but that didn't mean she had to like him right now. It didn't mean she would simply sit there and be ignored.

Silence had prevailed over all until a weak, feminine voice spoke up. "Kariudo." She forced from her throat. Kagome had noticed his arrival and was grateful he was here. If he hadn't been, she would have asked Shouron. But she had a feeling, Sesshoumaru would not appreciate it if she took away one of his generals from what was probably going to be an important discussion of events.

All present blinked at the sound. It wasn't expected, and it was barely heard even with youkai senses.

Hesitantly, Kariudo stepped forward. "Yes, Lady Kagome." He spoke quietly, not knowing why.

Kagome coughed and felt Sesshoumaru shift her more towards him; however, she didn't really want to look at him right now. "General Shouron, do you have need of Kariudo right now?"

Shouron was shaken and greatly confused by everything that was happening at this time, but he answered her. "No, Lady Kagome, not unless my lord had need of his soldiers."

Sesshoumaru was about to reply to Shouron's statement but Kagome didn't allow his statement. "Kariudo, could you take me back to my room. I am tired."

The taiyoukai felt a rush of possessiveness course through him. Why would Kagome ask Kariudo? Did she prefer his company? Sesshoumaru nearly growled at the thought, and his arms tightened around Kagome.

She did not like the way he held her body anymore. It was to painful for her to feel his warm, to soak in his presence. She wouldn't allow it anymore, so she began to push away from his embrace.

Kariudo was not blind. He saw the way her statement upset his lord, but he could also see how she was trying to escape him. It wasn't a situation he wished to be in. "I will do as my lord wishes." He spoke. His words were a rather harsh remembrance that he was not her soldier, but he softened his tones as much as possible to dull the statement.

Sesshoumaru did not like what was happening at all. He felt anger at being ignored; he felt betrayed by the one he sought to love. And most of all, he felt jealously at the tone his soldier used. No matter what his words were, Sesshoumaru heard the affection Kariudo held for Kagome, and he did not like it.

But Kagome started pushing against his chest despite how weak she was, trying to get away from him. What had happened? He fought to contain the growl that tried to slip past his throat. "We have things to discuss, Kagome; I have not dismissed you, yet."

His formal, calloused tone caused Kagome to shiver. "I don't want to be held right now, Lord Sesshoumaru, put me down." She grated out through clenched teeth, trying to be formal in front of his soldiers but running out of patience.

"You cannot stand, Kagome, or do you wish to utilize the ground?" His voice remained steady even as his thoughts swirled at her intentions.

"At least then I'd be in the dirt at your feet where all humans should be, my lord." She hissed as quietly as she could hoping to avoid the hearing of the others.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened at her words and looked down at her. Where had that come from? What did he do to cause her anger? Instead he shifted her against him once again. "Request denied." He said as his eyes bored into hers. "You and I have things to discuss." His voice was heated, but whether is was warmed by anger or other things, Kagome didn't know.

Kagome nearly growled at him in frustration, but her heart fluttered at the way his eyes lit her on fire. It was a strange and partially unwanted feeling. But another part loved his attention, loved the emotion in his eyes, and loved the feeling of his strong arms pushing her against him.

Because she couldn't make her mind commit to one feeling or the other, and because she couldn't really fight against him right now anyways, Kagome gave up. She sat in his arms and tried to ignore the feelings surrounding the demon that held her.

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Not too much of a cliffie this time. For my extended absence, I apologize. There's really no one good reason for it. I just had too much real life to interfere. This story is still pretty close to the ending, but I added quite a bit to this chapter that wasn't originally intended. Because of this, there are still a few chapters left til its over.

Several people have asked me about a sequel…truth is, I'm having a hard time finishing this one. I don't think I can do another huge fiction like this one. I had an idea for a sequel, but it would take too much time to do the research I wanted for a background. And in all honesty, I don't like this story anymore. It just doesn't seem real to me, and I don't think I can honestly do a sequel to it. I apologize.

Don't fear for this story though, I will finish it. I hate leaving things undone. I do hope I haven't ticked too many people off with my extended absence, and I understand how hard it is to get back into a story after its been "gone" so long. For all those who are still there: Thank you for your patience, and I hope you like the newest addition.


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